Urine Cotinine for Assessing the Association between Secondhand Smoke Exposure and Depression in Adult Non-Smokers in Korea: Analysis of the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2016

BACKGROUND: Exposure to secondhand smoke (SHS) has been shown to cause health problems. Recent studies demonstrated an association of SHS with depression and poor mental health. The urinary cotinine concentration (Ucot) is an objective indicator of exposure to SHS. In this study, we evaluated the association between depression and Ucot in adult non-smokers adults in Korea. METHODS: We analyzed the data of 3,417 adults, aged ≥19 years, who participated in the seventh Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (2016). The eligible subjects were non-smokers. Depression was evaluated using the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9). The subjects were dichotomized into two groups: the high depressive symptom group (PHQ-9 ≥10 [n=185]) and the low depressive symptom group (PHQ-9 <10 [n=3,232]). The demographic, socioeconomic, and clinical characteristics of the subjects were retrieved from the survey data. Ucot was dichotomized into high-Ucot (≥10 ng/mL) and low-Ucot (<10 ng/mL). The Ucot and other characteristics were compared between the two groups. To adjust for confounding variables, we conducted a logistic regression analysis and determined the difference in Ucot between the two groups. RESULTS: After adjusting for confounders, the high depressive symptom group was found to be associated with high-Ucot (odds ratio, 1.824; 95% confidence interval, 1.020–3.262). Sex, education, socioeconomic status, marital status, occupational status, limitation of activity, and the presence of an underlying diseases (diabetes and dyslipidemia) had a significant effect on depression. CONCLUSIONS: This concluded that depression was associated with high urine cotinine level in adult non-smokers.

Top 10 Dietary Supplements of Korean Adults from the 4th Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey / 가정의학회지

The aim of this study is to assess the prevalence, types, and trends of dietary supplement (DS) use. We analyzed the Dietary Supplement Questionnaire data of Korean aged 19 years old or older from the Nutrition Survey of the 4th Korea National Health and Nutrition Survey. Each reported DS was coded based on ingredients according to the 2010 Korean Food and Drug Administration Notification. The prevalence (standard error) of current DS use was 20.6% (0.7) for men, 32.2% (0.7) for women. Those with DS use for longer than two weeks during previous one year were 27.2% (0.7), and 40.2% (0.8), for men and women respectively. Vitamin mineral supplement (221.6/10(3) persons) was the most frequently consumed DS in Korean adults. The trend for DS use in Korean adults is changing as well as increasing.

Dietary patterns of children and adolescents analyzed from 2001 Korea National Health and Nutrition Survey

The purpose of this study was to identify dietary patterns among children and adolescents in Korea and to examine their associations with obesity and some blood profiles. One day food consumption data measured by 24-hour recalls on 2704 subjects aged 1 to 19 were used from 2001 Korea National Health and Nutrition Survey. The data of blood profiles available in the ages of 10 or older was also used. After categorizing each food consumed into 29 food or food groups, five dietary patterns were derived through a factor analysis and subjects were classified into three major dietary patterns via a cluster analysis using the factor scores. Three dietary patterns were identified as 'traditional diet' (25.6%), 'westernized-fast food' (6.2%), and 'mixed diet' (68.2%). The 'traditional diet' pattern had a higher percentage in boys. Both the 'traditional diet' and the 'westernized-fast food' had higher proportions of adolescents (12-19 y) than younger children, while the 'mixed diet' had a higher percentage of preschool children (1-5 y). Obesity rate analyzed within each age group showed no differences among 3 dietary pattern clusters. Blood pressure and all plasma profiles were not different among dietary patterns when adjusted with age and gender. Conclusively, children and adolescents in Korea had three distinct dietary patterns, which were associated with gender and age. These patterns could be useful to plan nutrition interventions for teenager health promotion.