Sex- and Age-Specific Trends in Cardiovascular Health in Korea, 2007–2018

Background and Objectives@#We illustrated sex- and age-specific temporal trends in cardiovascular health among Korean adults. @*Methods@#From the Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2007–2018, we included 61,408 participants aged 20 years or older. The ideal levels of 6 components of cardiovascular health metrics were defined as never-smoking, ≥75 min/week of vigorous or ≥150 min/week of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity, body mass index (BMI) <23 kg/ m2 , total cholesterol <200 mg/dL, blood pressure (BP) <120/80 mmHg, and fasting glucose <100 mg/dL. Temporal trends in the number of ideal cardiovascular health components and distribution of each component were assessed by sex and age. @*Results@#The average number of ideal cardiovascular health components decreased from 3.37 in 2007–2009 to 2.86 in 2016–2018. Never smoking increased from 56.0% to 59.2%, largely contributed by young men. Ideal physical activity halved (41.4–21.3%); such decline was more pronounced in women and with older age. Ideal BMI decreased from 44.3% to 42.2%, more apparently in young and elderly men. In contrast, ideal BMI increased in middle-aged and elderly women. Ideal cholesterol decreased from 65.5% to 50.3%, profoundly in young adults and relatively greater in men. Ideal BP declined from 55.1% to 46.9%, more evidently in men.However, ideal BP discernibly increased in middle-aged women. Ideal glucose decreased from 74.6% to 66.0%, comparatively greater and earlier in men. @*Conclusions@#The proportion of Korean adults with ideal cardiovascular health decreased between 2007 and 2018, but the course of responsible factors differed across sex and age groups.

Korea Heart Disease Fact Sheet 2020:Analysis of Nationwide Data

Background and Objectives@#Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the leading cause of death and disability worldwide. To provide an overview of the temporal trends in the burden of CVD, the Korean Society of Cardiology has published the Korea Heart Disease Fact Sheet in 2020. @*Methods@#We analyzed anonymized data of the Causes of Death Statistics, National Health Insurance Claims Database, and Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey to assess mortality, hospitalizations, and risk factors for CVD. @*Results@#The CVD mortality decreased until 2010, then steadily increased up to 123 per 100,000 persons in 2018. Since 2002, the number and rate of CVD hospitalization have continued to grow. In 2018, approximately 12.1 million Korean adults had hypertension, 4.3 million had diabetes, 8.7 million had hypercholesterolemia, 14.9 million had obesity, and 8.8 million were currently smoking. The number of risk factors increased markedly with older age; 58.4% of adults age ≥70 years had ≥2 risk factors. @*Conclusions@#CVD mortality and hospitalization have gradually increased in the last decade, and a substantially high proportion of adults were carrying more than 1 cardiovascular risk factor in 2018. With the rapid population aging, a continued increase in CVD appears inevitable in Korea. Concerted and sustained approaches are essential to achieve early prevention and reduce the burden of CVD.

Thirty-six Year Trends in Mortality from Diseases of Circulatory System in Korea

Background and Objectives@#Understanding the trends in cardiovascular disease (CVD) mortality is important for developing burden reduction strategies. Based on the Cause of Death Statistics, we examined the changing patterns of CVD mortality in Korea between 1983 and 2018. @*Methods@#Causes of death were coded according to the International Classification of Disease, 10th revision. Deaths from all diseases of circulatory system (I00-I99) and the following 6 subcategories were analyzed: total heart diseases (I00-I13 and I20-I51), hypertensive heart diseases (I10-I13), ischemic heart diseases (I20-I25), myocardial infarction (I21-I23), heart failure (I50), and cerebrovascular diseases (I60-I69). Crude, age-standardized, and age-stratified rates were calculated to assess temporal trends in CVD mortality. @*Results@#The number of deaths and crude mortality rate for all diseases of circulatory system increased recently mainly due to the population ageing. Specifically, total heart diseases showed increasing trend, whereas cerebrovascular diseases showed decreasing trend. Between 1983 and 2018, age-standardized mortality rates significantly declined for all diseases of circulatory system, total heart diseases, hypertensive heart diseases, and cerebrovascular diseases. Age-standardized mortality rates for ischemic heart diseases and myocardial infarction peaked in the early 2000s then decreased thereafter. However, agestandardized mortality rate for heart failure rapidly increased, especially in recent years. @*Conclusions@#CVD mortality in Korea has remarkably decreased over the last 36 years.However, the recent rise in the absolute number of deaths from heart diseases, especially from heart failure, calls for attention in prevention and management of CVD and its sequelae.

Dyslipidemia Fact Sheets in Korea 2020: an Analysis of Nationwide Population-based Data

Objective@#The Korean Society of Lipid and Atherosclerosis (KSoLA) has published the Dyslipidemia Fact Sheets in Korea 2020 to provide an overview of magnitude and management status of dyslipidemia and their recent trends therein. @*Methods@#The Fact Sheets were based on the analyses of Korean adults aged 20 years or older of the 2007–2018 Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHANES) and the 2002–2018 National Health Insurance Big Data (NHI-BD). @*Results@#Between 2007 and 2018, the crude prevalence of hypercholesterolemia increased from 9.0% to 20.7%. During the same period, its management rate also improved yet remained unsatisfactory. In 2018, the prevalence of dyslipidemia was 45.6% in men and 31.3% in women, which increased with older age and presence of metabolic abnormalities.Indeed, the number of people diagnosed with dyslipidemia has increased nearly 8-fold from 1.5 million in 2002 to 11.6 million in 2018; alongside, the number of people receiving pharmacological treatment for dyslipidemia has also risen. Of the 7.7 million people treated for dyslipidemia in 2018, statin accounted for the majority (91.8%) of lipid-lowering drug prescriptions, followed by ezetimibe (14.6%), fibrate (8.5%), and omega-3 acid (5.9%). The most frequently used combination therapy was statin plus ezetimibe, accounting for 72% of dual therapy prescriptions. @*Conclusion@#Dyslipidemia continues to impose a substantial disease burden in Korea. Both healthcare practitioners and patients need to actively adopt guideline-recommended lifestyle modification and pharmacological treatment for comprehensive, timely, and sustained management.

Dyslipidemia Fact Sheets in Korea 2020: an Analysis of Nationwide Population-based Data

Objective@#The Korean Society of Lipid and Atherosclerosis (KSoLA) has published the Dyslipidemia Fact Sheets in Korea 2020 to provide an overview of magnitude and management status of dyslipidemia and their recent trends therein. @*Methods@#The Fact Sheets were based on the analyses of Korean adults aged 20 years or older of the 2007–2018 Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHANES) and the 2002–2018 National Health Insurance Big Data (NHI-BD). @*Results@#Between 2007 and 2018, the crude prevalence of hypercholesterolemia increased from 9.0% to 20.7%. During the same period, its management rate also improved yet remained unsatisfactory. In 2018, the prevalence of dyslipidemia was 45.6% in men and 31.3% in women, which increased with older age and presence of metabolic abnormalities.Indeed, the number of people diagnosed with dyslipidemia has increased nearly 8-fold from 1.5 million in 2002 to 11.6 million in 2018; alongside, the number of people receiving pharmacological treatment for dyslipidemia has also risen. Of the 7.7 million people treated for dyslipidemia in 2018, statin accounted for the majority (91.8%) of lipid-lowering drug prescriptions, followed by ezetimibe (14.6%), fibrate (8.5%), and omega-3 acid (5.9%). The most frequently used combination therapy was statin plus ezetimibe, accounting for 72% of dual therapy prescriptions. @*Conclusion@#Dyslipidemia continues to impose a substantial disease burden in Korea. Both healthcare practitioners and patients need to actively adopt guideline-recommended lifestyle modification and pharmacological treatment for comprehensive, timely, and sustained management.

Korea Heart Disease Fact Sheet 2020:Analysis of Nationwide Data

Background and Objectives@#Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the leading cause of death and disability worldwide. To provide an overview of the temporal trends in the burden of CVD, the Korean Society of Cardiology has published the Korea Heart Disease Fact Sheet in 2020. @*Methods@#We analyzed anonymized data of the Causes of Death Statistics, National Health Insurance Claims Database, and Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey to assess mortality, hospitalizations, and risk factors for CVD. @*Results@#The CVD mortality decreased until 2010, then steadily increased up to 123 per 100,000 persons in 2018. Since 2002, the number and rate of CVD hospitalization have continued to grow. In 2018, approximately 12.1 million Korean adults had hypertension, 4.3 million had diabetes, 8.7 million had hypercholesterolemia, 14.9 million had obesity, and 8.8 million were currently smoking. The number of risk factors increased markedly with older age; 58.4% of adults age ≥70 years had ≥2 risk factors. @*Conclusions@#CVD mortality and hospitalization have gradually increased in the last decade, and a substantially high proportion of adults were carrying more than 1 cardiovascular risk factor in 2018. With the rapid population aging, a continued increase in CVD appears inevitable in Korea. Concerted and sustained approaches are essential to achieve early prevention and reduce the burden of CVD.

Thirty-six Year Trends in Mortality from Diseases of Circulatory System in Korea

Background and Objectives@#Understanding the trends in cardiovascular disease (CVD) mortality is important for developing burden reduction strategies. Based on the Cause of Death Statistics, we examined the changing patterns of CVD mortality in Korea between 1983 and 2018. @*Methods@#Causes of death were coded according to the International Classification of Disease, 10th revision. Deaths from all diseases of circulatory system (I00-I99) and the following 6 subcategories were analyzed: total heart diseases (I00-I13 and I20-I51), hypertensive heart diseases (I10-I13), ischemic heart diseases (I20-I25), myocardial infarction (I21-I23), heart failure (I50), and cerebrovascular diseases (I60-I69). Crude, age-standardized, and age-stratified rates were calculated to assess temporal trends in CVD mortality. @*Results@#The number of deaths and crude mortality rate for all diseases of circulatory system increased recently mainly due to the population ageing. Specifically, total heart diseases showed increasing trend, whereas cerebrovascular diseases showed decreasing trend. Between 1983 and 2018, age-standardized mortality rates significantly declined for all diseases of circulatory system, total heart diseases, hypertensive heart diseases, and cerebrovascular diseases. Age-standardized mortality rates for ischemic heart diseases and myocardial infarction peaked in the early 2000s then decreased thereafter. However, agestandardized mortality rate for heart failure rapidly increased, especially in recent years. @*Conclusions@#CVD mortality in Korea has remarkably decreased over the last 36 years.However, the recent rise in the absolute number of deaths from heart diseases, especially from heart failure, calls for attention in prevention and management of CVD and its sequelae.

Comparison and Implication of the Contemporary Blood Pressure Guidelines on Korean Population

Background and Objectives@#This study compared the potential impacts of the 2017 American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association (ACC/AHA) and the 2018 Korean Society of Hypertension (KSH) guidelines on prevalence of hypertension, recommended antihypertensive treatment, and achievement of target blood pressure (BP) in Korean population. @*Methods@#We analyzed the 2007–2017 Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey data to calculate guideline-specific hypertension prevalence and treatment implications on 59,767 adults aged 20 years or older by sex and age. @*Results@#The prevalence of hypertension was markedly higher 46.3% by the ACC/AHA guideline due to the lowered BP cutoff than 25.9% by the KSH guideline; the increase was most pronounced in young adults. Yet, there was only a marginal 1.6% increase in the percentage of adults suggested pharmacological approach by the ACC/AHA guideline, but selectively in the older subgroups. Overall, 45.6% of Korean adults treated for hypertension failed to meet BP goal according to the KSH guideline; the underachievement extended to 61.7% of participants according to the ACC/AHA guideline. @*Conclusions@#The lowered BP threshold, 130/80 mmHg, by the 2017 ACC/AHA guideline, in conjuncture with 10-year risk calculation largely driven by age, would increase pharmacological treatment preferentially in very old individuals, while increasing prevalence and uncontrolled rate mostly in younger subgroups. Adoption of lower BP cutoff to the KSH guideline would require validated cardiovascular disease risk assessment tools accounting for risk distributions specific to Korean population.

Association of Snoring with Prediabetes and Type 2Diabetes Mellitus: The Cardiovascular and Metabolic Diseases Etiology Research Center Cohort

Background@#Evidence suggests that habitual snoring is an independent risk factor for poor glycemic health. We examined the associations between snoring with prediabetes and diabetes in Korean population. @*Methods@#Self-reported snoring characteristics were collected from 3,948 middle-aged adults without prior cardiovascular diseases. Multivariable linear regression assessed the association of snoring intensity, frequency, disruptiveness, and disrupted breathing with fasting glucose and glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c) level. Then, multinomial regression evaluated how increasing snoring symptoms are associated with the risk for prediabetes and diabetes, adjusting for socioeconomic and behavioral risk factors of diabetes, obesity, hypertension, and other sleep variables. @*Results@#Higher snoring intensity and frequency were positively associated with fasting glucose and HbA1c levels. Participants presenting the most severe snoring were at 1.84 times higher risk (95% confidence interval [CI], 1.09 to 2.29) for prediabetes and 2.24 times higher risk (95% CI, 1.84 to 2.95) for diabetes, compared to non-snorers. Such graded association was also observed amongst the most frequent snorers with higher risk for prediabetes (odds ratio [OR], 1.78; 95% CI, 1.29 to 2.22) and diabetes (OR, 2.03; 95% CI, 1.45 to 2.85). Disruptive snoring (OR, 1.60; 95% CI, 1.12 to 2.28) and near-daily disruptive breathing (OR, 2.18; 95% CI, 1.02 to 4.19) were associated with higher odds for diabetes. Such findings remained robust after additional adjustment for sleep duration, excessive daytime sleepiness, unwakefulness, and sleep-deprived driving. @*Conclusion@#Snoring is associated with impaired glucose metabolism even in otherwise metabolically healthy adults. Habitual snorers may require lifestyle modifications and pharmacological treatment to improve glycemic profile.

Sex-, Age-, and Metabolic Disorder-Dependent Distributions of Selected Inflammatory Biomarkers among Community-Dwelling Adults

Background@#Inflammatory cytokines are increasingly utilized to detect high-risk individuals for cardiometabolic diseases. However, with large population and assay methodological heterogeneity, no clear reference currently exists. @*Methods@#Among participants of the Cardiovascular and Metabolic Diseases Etiology Research Center cohort, of communitydwelling adults aged 30 to 64 without overt cardiovascular diseases, we presented distributions of tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α and -β, interleukin (IL)-1α, -1β, and 6, monocyte chemoattractant protein (MCP)-1 and -3 and high sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP) with and without non-detectable (ND) measurements using multiplex enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Then, we compared each markers by sex, age, and prevalence of type 2 diabetes mellitus, hypertension, and dyslipidemia, using the Wilcoxon Rank-Sum Test. @*Results@#In general, there were inconsistencies in direction and magnitude of differences in distributions by sex, age, and prevalence of cardiometabolic disorders. Overall, the median and the 99th percentiles were higher in men than in women. Older participants had higher TNF-α, high sensitivity IL-6 (hsIL-6), MCP-1, hsCRP, TNF-β, and MCP-3 median, after excluding the NDs.Participants with type 2 diabetes mellitus had higher median for all assayed biomarkers, except for TNF-β, IL-1α, and MCP-3, in which the medians for both groups were 0.00 due to predominant NDs. Compared to normotensive group, participants with hypertension had higher TNF-α, hsIL-6, MCP-1, and hsCRP median. When stratifying by dyslipidemia prevalence, the comparison varied significantly depending on the treatment of NDs. @*Conclusion@#Our findings provide sex-, age-, and disease-specific reference values to improve risk prediction and diagnostic performance for inflammatory diseases in both population- and clinic-based settings.

Association of social network size and composition with physical activity in Korean middle-aged adults / 한국역학회지

OBJECTIVES@#Physical activity (PA) is an established protective factor for many chronic diseases. Numerous studies have established positive relationships between social networks and PA. Accordingly, this study examined the relationship between social network structures (specifically the network size and the number and proportion of same-sex alters) and self-reported PA in Korean middle-age adults, where the term “alter” refers to a respondent’s social network members. @*METHODS@#We analyzed 8,092 participants of the Cardiovascular and Metabolic Diseases Etiology Research Center cohort. We assessed the association between each network structure variable and PA level using a linear regression model. Then, we employed logistic regression to evaluate associations between social network structure and adherence to guideline-recommended exercise levels. Socio-demographic factors and health status measures were used as covariates. @*RESULTS@#In both sexes, the social network size and proportion of same-sex network members showed positive relationships with total and moderate-to-vigorous PA. Notably, female participants with a greater number of kin were more likely to satisfy the recommended amount of total PA. @*CONCLUSIONS@#These findings suggest that large scale, same-sex intervention programs can help to achieve recommended PA regimens.

Association of social network size and composition with physical activity in Korean middle-aged adults / 한국역학회지

OBJECTIVES@#Physical activity (PA) is an established protective factor for many chronic diseases. Numerous studies have established positive relationships between social networks and PA. Accordingly, this study examined the relationship between social network structures (specifically the network size and the number and proportion of same-sex alters) and self-reported PA in Korean middle-age adults, where the term “alter” refers to a respondent’s social network members. @*METHODS@#We analyzed 8,092 participants of the Cardiovascular and Metabolic Diseases Etiology Research Center cohort. We assessed the association between each network structure variable and PA level using a linear regression model. Then, we employed logistic regression to evaluate associations between social network structure and adherence to guideline-recommended exercise levels. Socio-demographic factors and health status measures were used as covariates. @*RESULTS@#In both sexes, the social network size and proportion of same-sex network members showed positive relationships with total and moderate-to-vigorous PA. Notably, female participants with a greater number of kin were more likely to satisfy the recommended amount of total PA. @*CONCLUSIONS@#These findings suggest that large scale, same-sex intervention programs can help to achieve recommended PA regimens.

Differential Control Rate of Systolic and Diastolic Blood Pressure among Korean Adults with Hypertension: the Sixth Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, 2013–2015 (KNHANES VI)

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Discrepancy in blood pressure (BP) control rate may be owed to different risk factors associated with elevated systolic and diastolic BP (SBP and DBP). METHODS: In a nationally representative survey of Korean population with BP measurements, a total of 5,100 participants with hypertension was included in the analyses. Three separate types of control rates were calculated: SBP, DBP, and (combined) S&DBP among all participants with hypertension and participants with treated hypertension, separately. Control rates were compared across sex and age groups. Multivariable logistic regression was used to identify demographic factors associated with SBP, DBP, and S&DBP control rates, separately. RESULTS: In total, SBP, DBP, and S&DBP control rates were 63.0%, 63.7%, and 42.5% among all hypertension patients, and 77.5%, 87.4%, and 71.6% among treated hypertension patients. Men aged 40–49 years with hypertension and 30–39 years treated for hypertension had the highest SBP control rate (74.6% and 96.2%), which decreased by older age. Inversely, DBP control rate progressively increased with older age. SBP control rate among women with hypertension was the highest in 40–49 years (67.0%) but without linear trend by age group. Interestingly, both combined and DBP control rates were noticeably low among women aged 50–59 years. Women with body mass index ≥25 were at higher odds of having controlled SBP. Lower DBP control rate was observed in men with lower education level, higher household income, and heavy drinkers. CONCLUSIONS: Separate examination of control rates demonstrated different sex- and age-differential trends, which would have been overlooked in combined control rates.

Differential Control Rate of Systolic and Diastolic Blood Pressure among Korean Adults with Hypertension: the Sixth Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, 2013–2015 (KNHANES VI)

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES@#Discrepancy in blood pressure (BP) control rate may be owed to different risk factors associated with elevated systolic and diastolic BP (SBP and DBP).@*METHODS@#In a nationally representative survey of Korean population with BP measurements, a total of 5,100 participants with hypertension was included in the analyses. Three separate types of control rates were calculated: SBP, DBP, and (combined) S&DBP among all participants with hypertension and participants with treated hypertension, separately. Control rates were compared across sex and age groups. Multivariable logistic regression was used to identify demographic factors associated with SBP, DBP, and S&DBP control rates, separately.@*RESULTS@#In total, SBP, DBP, and S&DBP control rates were 63.0%, 63.7%, and 42.5% among all hypertension patients, and 77.5%, 87.4%, and 71.6% among treated hypertension patients. Men aged 40–49 years with hypertension and 30–39 years treated for hypertension had the highest SBP control rate (74.6% and 96.2%), which decreased by older age. Inversely, DBP control rate progressively increased with older age. SBP control rate among women with hypertension was the highest in 40–49 years (67.0%) but without linear trend by age group. Interestingly, both combined and DBP control rates were noticeably low among women aged 50–59 years. Women with body mass index ≥25 were at higher odds of having controlled SBP. Lower DBP control rate was observed in men with lower education level, higher household income, and heavy drinkers.@*CONCLUSIONS@#Separate examination of control rates demonstrated different sex- and age-differential trends, which would have been overlooked in combined control rates.

Perceived Discrimination, Depression, and the Role of Perceived Social Support as an Effect Modifier in Korean Young Adults / 예방의학회지

OBJECTIVES@#The relationships among discrimination, social support, and mental health have mostly been studied in minorities, and relevant studies in the general population are lacking. We aimed to investigate associations between discrimination and depressive symptoms in Korean non-minority young adults, considering the role of social support.@*METHODS@#In total, 372 participants who completed the psychological examinations conducted in the third wave of the Jangseong High School Cohort study were included. We used the Everyday Discrimination Scale to evaluate perceived discrimination and the Beck Depression Inventory-II to measure depressive symptoms. Social support was measured by the Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support. Multivariate linear regression was conducted to investigate associations between discrimination and depression, along with the effect modification of social support. We stratified the population by gender to investigate gender differences.@*RESULTS@#Perceived discrimination was significantly associated with depressive symptoms (β=0.736, p<0.001), and social support was negatively associated with depression (β=-0.245, p<0.001). In men, support from friends was the most influential factor (β=-0.631, p=0.011), but no significant effect modification was found. In women, support from family was the most influential factor (β=-0.440, p=0.010), and women with higher familial support showed a significantly diminished association between discrimination and depression, unlike those with lower family support.@*CONCLUSIONS@#Discrimination perceived by individuals can lead to depressive symptoms in Korean young adults, and this relationship can may differ by gender and social support status.

Comparison of self-reported and accelerometer-assessed measurements of physical activity according to socio-demographic characteristics in Korean adults / 한국역학회지

OBJECTIVES: Previous studies have shown relatively low correlations between self-reported and accelerometer-assessed physical activity (PA). However, this association differs by socio-demographic factors, and this relationship has not been fully investigated in the general population. Thus, we investigated the correlation between self-reported and accelerometer-assessed PA and whether it differed by demographic and socioeconomic factors among the Korean general population.METHODS: This cross-sectional study included 623 participants (203 men and 420 women) aged 30 to 64 years, who completed a PA questionnaire and wore a wrist-worn accelerometer on the non-dominant wrist for 7 days. We examined the agreement for metabolic equivalent task minutes per week (MET-min/wk) between the 2 measures and calculated Spearman correlation coefficients according to demographic and socioeconomic factors.RESULTS: The kappa coefficient between tertiles of self-reported and accelerometer-assessed total MET-min/wk was 0.16 in the total population, suggesting overall poor agreement. The correlation coefficient between the 2 measurements was 0.26 (p < 0.001) in the total population, and the correlation tended to decrease with increasing age (p for trend < 0.001) and depression scores (p for trend < 0.001).CONCLUSION: We found a low correlation between self-reported and accelerometer-assessed PA among healthy Korean adults, and the correlation decreased with age and depression score. When studying PA using accelerometers and/or questionnaires, age and depression need to be considered, as should differences between self-reported and accelerometer-assessed PA.

Comparison of self-reported and accelerometer-assessed measurements of physical activity according to socio-demographic characteristics in Korean adults / 한국역학회지

OBJECTIVES: Previous studies have shown relatively low correlations between self-reported and accelerometer-assessed physical activity (PA). However, this association differs by socio-demographic factors, and this relationship has not been fully investigated in the general population. Thus, we investigated the correlation between self-reported and accelerometer-assessed PA and whether it differed by demographic and socioeconomic factors among the Korean general population. METHODS: This cross-sectional study included 623 participants (203 men and 420 women) aged 30 to 64 years, who completed a PA questionnaire and wore a wrist-worn accelerometer on the non-dominant wrist for 7 days. We examined the agreement for metabolic equivalent task minutes per week (MET-min/wk) between the 2 measures and calculated Spearman correlation coefficients according to demographic and socioeconomic factors. RESULTS: The kappa coefficient between tertiles of self-reported and accelerometer-assessed total MET-min/wk was 0.16 in the total population, suggesting overall poor agreement. The correlation coefficient between the 2 measurements was 0.26 (p < 0.001) in the total population, and the correlation tended to decrease with increasing age (p for trend < 0.001) and depression scores (p for trend < 0.001). CONCLUSION: We found a low correlation between self-reported and accelerometer-assessed PA among healthy Korean adults, and the correlation decreased with age and depression score. When studying PA using accelerometers and/or questionnaires, age and depression need to be considered, as should differences between self-reported and accelerometer-assessed PA.

Comparison of self-reported and accelerometer-assessed measurements of physical activity according to socio-demographic characteristics in Korean adults / 한국역학회지

OBJECTIVES@#Previous studies have shown relatively low correlations between self-reported and accelerometer-assessed physical activity (PA). However, this association differs by socio-demographic factors, and this relationship has not been fully investigated in the general population. Thus, we investigated the correlation between self-reported and accelerometer-assessed PA and whether it differed by demographic and socioeconomic factors among the Korean general population.@*METHODS@#This cross-sectional study included 623 participants (203 men and 420 women) aged 30 to 64 years, who completed a PA questionnaire and wore a wrist-worn accelerometer on the non-dominant wrist for 7 days. We examined the agreement for metabolic equivalent task minutes per week (MET-min/wk) between the 2 measures and calculated Spearman correlation coefficients according to demographic and socioeconomic factors.@*RESULTS@#The kappa coefficient between tertiles of self-reported and accelerometer-assessed total MET-min/wk was 0.16 in the total population, suggesting overall poor agreement. The correlation coefficient between the 2 measurements was 0.26 (p < 0.001) in the total population, and the correlation tended to decrease with increasing age (p for trend < 0.001) and depression scores (p for trend < 0.001).@*CONCLUSION@#We found a low correlation between self-reported and accelerometer-assessed PA among healthy Korean adults, and the correlation decreased with age and depression score. When studying PA using accelerometers and/or questionnaires, age and depression need to be considered, as should differences between self-reported and accelerometer-assessed PA.