Serum vitamin D status and metabolic syndrome: a systematic review and dose-response meta-analysis

RESULTS@#The pooled estimates (95% CI) for MetS per 25-nmol/L increment in serum vitamin D concentration were 0.80 (95% CI, 0.76–0.84; I2 = 53.5) in cross-sectional studies, and 0.85 (95% CI, 0.72–0.98; I2 = 85.8) in cohort studies. Similar results were observed, irrespectively of age of study population, study location, MetS criteria, and adjustment factors. There was no publication bias for the dose-response meta-analysis of serum vitamin D concentrations and MetS. @*CONCLUSIONS@#Dose-response meta-analysis demonstrated that a 25-nmol/L increment in the serum vitamin D concentration was associated with 20% and 15% lower risks of MetS in cross-sectional studies and cohort studies, respectively.

Serum vitamin D status and metabolic syndrome: a systematic review and dose-response meta-analysis

RESULTS@#The pooled estimates (95% CI) for MetS per 25-nmol/L increment in serum vitamin D concentration were 0.80 (95% CI, 0.76–0.84; I2 = 53.5) in cross-sectional studies, and 0.85 (95% CI, 0.72–0.98; I2 = 85.8) in cohort studies. Similar results were observed, irrespectively of age of study population, study location, MetS criteria, and adjustment factors. There was no publication bias for the dose-response meta-analysis of serum vitamin D concentrations and MetS. @*CONCLUSIONS@#Dose-response meta-analysis demonstrated that a 25-nmol/L increment in the serum vitamin D concentration was associated with 20% and 15% lower risks of MetS in cross-sectional studies and cohort studies, respectively.

Development of Korean Menstrual Symptom Scale for University Students

PURPOSE: To develop Korean Menstrual Symptom Scale (KMSS) for university students and test its reliability and validity. METHODS: The scale was developed by intensive literature review, development of preliminary items, verification of content validity, development of secondary items, verification of construct validity, and extraction of final items. Thirty-nine items were constructed. Data for validity and reliability testing were collected with a questionnaire survey from 391 university students. Data were analyzed with descriptive statistics, factor analysis, and reliability coefficients (Cronbach's α) with the SPSS program. RESULTS: There were 37 final items which were sorted into six factors: ‘negative affection (8 items)’, ‘change of activity level (7 items)’, ‘physical symptom (9 items)’, ‘mood change (9 items)’, ‘change in concentration level (4 items)’, and ‘body water retention (5 items)’. The cumulative percent of variance was 63.3%. Regarding the reliability of the scale, its Cronbach's α was 0.96. Cronbach's α values for these factors ranged from 0.75 to 0.91. CONCLUSION: The KMSS demonstrated acceptable validity and reliability. Repeated research is needed to measure menstrual symptom experienced by women of variable ages.

Attitudes Formation by Small but Meaningful Personal Information

OBJECTIVE: People often evaluate others using fragmentary but meaningful personal information in recent days through social media. It is not clear that whether this process is implicit or explicit and what kind of information is more important in such process.We examined the effects of several meaningful fragmentary information onattitude. METHODS: Thirty three KAIST students were provided four fragmentary information about four virtual people that are meaningful in evaluating people and frequently seen in real life situations, and were asked to imagine that person during four follow-up sessions. Explicit and Implicit attitudes were measured using Likert scale and Implicit Association Test respectively. Also, eye tracking was done to find out the most important information. RESULTS: Strong explicit attitudes, were formed toward both men and women, and weak but significant implicit attitudes, were generated toward men only. Eyetracking results showed that people spent more time reading morality information. CONCLUSION: Our results indicate that explicit attitudes are made by propositional learning, which is the main component for evaluating others with several meaningful fragmentary information, and implicit attitudes are formed by top down process. And as well as those of previous studies, morality information was suggested as the most important factor in developing attitudes.

Sexual Attitude Changes after Sex Education according to Family Environmental Factors in Middle School Students / 기본간호학회지

PURPOSE: this study was carried out to identify family environmental factors related to changes in sexual attitudes through a sexuality education based on correct sexual attitude for middle school students. METHODS: The subjects were 141 students (67 boys and 74 girls) in 4 classes of the first grade of a coeducational middle school, in Seoul. The school nurse provided the sexuality education for 18 hours over 16 weeks. RESULTS: After the sexuality education, there was a significant increase in sexual attitude(t=59.06, p<.001). For family environmental factors related to changes in sexual attitude, 'relationship with parents' was a significant factor for both boys and girls. For the girls, there were many other related factors such as 'parents' openness', 'family structure', and 'economic status'. Significant factors were 'Family structure' for attitude to abortion and 'parents' openness' for attitude to intercourse before marriage. CONCLUSIONS: Based on these results, systematic sexuality education is needed to enhance correct sexual attitudes in youth. To increase the effect of sexuality education, it should include contents to improve relationships with patents. Also, for parents, programs to improve relationships with their children and to change the values such as openness may also be required.

Body Esteem, Body Figure Discrepancy and Depression in Women College Students / 기본간호학회지

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to identify body esteem, body figure discrepancy and depression in women college students. METHOD: The data were collected during April and May, 2004 using a questionnaire. The participants were 364 women college students attending universities in Seoul and Gangwon-Do. RESULTS: The BMI for under weight, normal weight and overweight for the college women were 49.2%, 48.3%, 2.5% respectively. But 52.6% of the students perceived themselves as obese and only 11.5% described themselves as being 'thin'. The mean scores for BMI, body esteem, body figure discrepancy and depression were 20.11+/-2.20, 2.36+/-.79, 1.07+/-.58 and 1.20+/-.48 respectively. Significant difference was found in body esteem score (F=26.389, p<.0001) and body figure discrepancy (F=64.167, p<.0001) according to BMI scores. There were negative correlations between body esteem and body figure discrepancy (r=-.582, p=.0001), between body esteem and depression (r=-.120, p=.028), between body esteem and BMI (r=-.422, p=.0001), and a positive correlation between body figure discrepancy and BMI (r=.630, p=.0001). Factors such as body figure discrepancy, BMI and depression explained 36.7% of the variance in students' body esteem. CONCLUSION: This study suggests that an intervention program is necessary for women college students to increase their body-esteem.