Evaluation of the dietary quality and nutritional status of elderly people using the Nutrition Quotient for Elderly (NQ-E) in Seoul / 한국영양학회지

PURPOSE: This study evaluated the dietary quality and nutritional status of elderly people using the Nutrition Quotient for Elderly (NQ-E).METHODS: The participants were 204 elderly people over 65 years of age (38 men and, 166 women) in Seoul. The dietary information was analyzed using a questionnaire of NQ-E, which consisted of 19 checklist items, and 24-recall test data. The NQ-E scores and its four factors, including ‘balance’, ‘moderation’, ‘diversity’, and ‘dietary behavior’ factors, were calculated according to general characteristics of the subjects. The subjects were divided into the ‘monitoring needed group’ (62 > NQ-E score) and the ‘good group’ (62 ≤ NQ-E score) according to their NQ-E score.RESULTS: The mean NQ-E score of the total subjects was 61.9, which was within the medium-high grade. The scores of balance, moderation, and dietary behavior factors were within the medium-high grade, while the score of the diversity factor was within the medium-low grade. The NQ-E score was 54.8 in the monitoring needed group and 69.3 in the good group. For the score of the diversity factor, the elderly living alone had a significantly lower score than the score for the elderly living with a spouse. The female subjects showed significantly higher scores of moderation and dietary behavior factors than did the male subjects. The daily intakes of vitamin A, thiamin, riboflavin, vitamin C and calcium in the monitoring needed group were significantly lower than those in the good group. The nutrient adequacy ratios (NAR) of vitamin A, thiamin, riboflavin, vitamin C and calcium in the monitoring needed group were significantly lower compared to the scores of the good group. The indexes of nutritional quality (INQ) of vitamin A, thiamin, riboflavin, vitamin C, calcium and potassium were less than 1 for all the subjects. The monitoring needed group had a significantly lower consumption of total foods, vegetables and mushrooms than the good group. As a result, the nutritional status of the monitoring needed group was significantly lower than that of the good group.CONCLUSION: The results of this study show that NQ-E would be a useful tool for assessing the dietary quality of the elderly. In conclusion, a focused-nutrition education program and a useful guideline are needed for promoting the health and nutritional status in elderly people.

Relationships between Obesity and Dietary Habits of Preschool Children and Their Parents in Dongducheon Based on the Nutrition Quotient (NQ) / 대한지역사회영양학회지

OBJECTIVES: This study was conducted to investigate the associations between obesity and the children's Nutrition Quotient (NQ) and to further examine the relationships between NQ and mini dietary assessment (MDA) of their parents. METHODS: The subjects were 355 children aged 3 to 5 years and their parents in Dongducheon. We collected parental-reported NQ questionnaires for children and MDA of parents. Anthropometric measurements, height, weight and BMI by BIA were measured in children. Overweight and obesity were determined according to age- and sex-specific BMI percentile from the 2007 Korean national growth chart. Statistical analyses consisted of the chi-squared test, ANOVA, partial correlations and logistic regression analysis adjustments for parents BMI. RESULTS: Approximately 20.8% of preschool children were classified as overweight or obese. Underweight children showed a significantly higher score for balance than overweight children. The NQ of the children was 61.9 ± 11.6, and NQ scores and their parents' MDA did not exhibit any significant differences according to degree of obesity. After adjusting for parent's BMI, children's BMI was significantly correlated with balance and moderation among NQ factors. Parent's MDA showed significant correlation with their children's NQ, balance, diversity, moderation, regularity, practice and NQ grade, except for diversity of father. Additionally, NQ grade had a significantly increased (150.1%) odds ratio (OR) of being overweight (95% CI 1.008–2.234). CONCLUSIONS: These results show that NQ for children is influenced by their parents' MDA and BMI. Furthermore, our findings support the association between overweight prevention and improvement of NQ grade among preschool children.

Relationships between Obesity and Dietary Habits of Preschool Children and Their Parents in Dongducheon Based on the Nutrition Quotient (NQ) / 대한지역사회영양학회지

OBJECTIVES: This study was conducted to investigate the associations between obesity and the children's Nutrition Quotient (NQ) and to further examine the relationships between NQ and mini dietary assessment (MDA) of their parents. METHODS: The subjects were 355 children aged 3 to 5 years and their parents in Dongducheon. We collected parental-reported NQ questionnaires for children and MDA of parents. Anthropometric measurements, height, weight and BMI by BIA were measured in children. Overweight and obesity were determined according to age- and sex-specific BMI percentile from the 2007 Korean national growth chart. Statistical analyses consisted of the chi-squared test, ANOVA, partial correlations and logistic regression analysis adjustments for parents BMI. RESULTS: Approximately 20.8% of preschool children were classified as overweight or obese. Underweight children showed a significantly higher score for balance than overweight children. The NQ of the children was 61.9 ± 11.6, and NQ scores and their parents' MDA did not exhibit any significant differences according to degree of obesity. After adjusting for parent's BMI, children's BMI was significantly correlated with balance and moderation among NQ factors. Parent's MDA showed significant correlation with their children's NQ, balance, diversity, moderation, regularity, practice and NQ grade, except for diversity of father. Additionally, NQ grade had a significantly increased (150.1%) odds ratio (OR) of being overweight (95% CI 1.008–2.234). CONCLUSIONS: These results show that NQ for children is influenced by their parents' MDA and BMI. Furthermore, our findings support the association between overweight prevention and improvement of NQ grade among preschool children.

Development of NQ-E, Nutrition Quotient for Korean elderly: item selection and validation of factor structure / 한국영양학회지

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to develop a valid instrument for measuring the dietary quality and behaviors of Korean elderly. METHODS: The development of the Nutrition Quotient for Elderly (NQ-E) was conducted in three steps: item generation, item reduction, and validation. The 41 items of the NQ-E checklist were derived from a systematic literature review, expert in-depth interviews, statistical analyses of the fifth Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey data, and national nutrition policies and recommendations. Pearson's correlation was used to determine the level of agreement between the questionnaires and nutrient intake level, and 24 items were selected for a nationwide survey. A total of 1,000 nationwide elderly subjects completed the checklist questionnaire. The construct validity of the NQ-E was assessed using confirmatory factor analysis, LISREL. RESULTS: The nineteen checklist items were used as final items for NQ-E. Checklist items were composed of four-factors: food behavior (6 items), balance (4 items), diversity (6 items), and moderation (3 items). The standardized path coefficients were used as the weights of the items. The NQ-E and four-factor scores were calculated according to the obtained weights of the questionnaire items. CONCLUSION: NQ-E would be a useful tool for assessing the food behavior and dietary quality of the elderly.

Comparison of Nutritional Status and Eating Behavior of Korean and Chinese Children using the Nutrition Quotient (NQ) / 대한지역사회영양학회지

OBJECTIVES: This study was conducted to investigate the nutritional status and dietary behavior of Korean and Chinese elementary school children using Nutritional Quotient (NQ). METHODS: The survey was conducted by distributing questionnaires to the parents of the child, after selecting four elementary schools located in Pusan city of Korea and three elementary schools located in Luoyang city, Henan Province of China, from Grade 1 to Grade 6 in each school. RESULTS: The NQ scores of Korean children and Chinese children were 64.99 and 66.57, respectively, which did not show a statistically significant difference. Korean children significantly showed higher diversity score (p<0.001) than Chinese, but Chinese children significantly showed higher moderation (p < 0.001), regularity (p < 0.001) and practice score (p < 0.01) than Korean. NQ grades showed a statistically significant difference. According to food security of the household, NQ scores of the Chinese children of secure household were significantly higher than those of food insecurity household (p < 0.01). In particular, it showed a significant difference in the practice (p < 0.001), moderation (p < 0.05) and regularity score (p < 0.05). Korean children's NQ score showed a significant correlation with the score of following the Dietary Guidelines of parents, but Chinese did not show such a correlation. CONCLUSIONS: There were differences in children's dietary behaviors and parents' impact to children's dietary attitude between Korean and Chinese. NQ developed for Korean could be successfully applied to Chinese.

Age difference in association between obesity and Nutrition Quotient scores of preschoolers and school children / 한국영양학회지

PURPOSE: This study was conducted among 235 children aged 3 up to 11 yrs to examine the relationship between subjects' eating behaviors and obesity. METHODS: The subjects were divided into three age groups: preschoolers aged 3 to 5 yrs, early elementary school students aged 6 to 8 yrs, and late elementary school students aged 9 to 11 yrs. As a tool for eating behaviors, the recently developed nutrition quotient (NQ) questionnaire was utilized. By age group, scores were gathered and calculated in the five factors, “Balance”, “Diversity”, “Moderation”, “Regularity”, and “Practice”, which make up the NQ scores. RESULTS: The NQ scores among those aged 3 to 5, 6 to 8, and 9 to 11 yrs did not exhibit any significant differences. Among the scores for the five factors of the NQ, the Diversity scores of those aged 9 to 11 yrs were significantly higher than the scores of those aged 3 to 5 and those aged 6 to 8 yrs. The scores of those aged 3 to 5 and those aged 6 to 8 yrs were higher than the scores of those aged 9 to 11 yrs in Moderation and Regularity. When the subjects were divided into low-weight/normal and overweight/obese groups, among those aged 6 to 8 yrs, the NQ scores, Moderation, Regularity, and Practice scores were higher in the overweight/obese group than those in the low-weight/normal group. Among those aged 9 to 11 yrs, the overweight/obese group scored higher than the low-weight/normal group only in the Moderation component. CONCLUSION: From the results, to prevent obesity in elementary school students, it is practical to focus on training related to eating behavior items included in the Moderation component. Furthermore, personalized instructions on eating behaviors and nutritional education based on age are necessary to prevent obesity in children.

Development of nutrition quotient for Korean preschoolers (NQ-P): Item selection and validation of factor structure / 한국영양학회지

PURPOSE: Screening of preschool-age children for nutrition programs to improve dietary intake and behaviors requires cost-effective and easily administered validated assessment tools. The purpose of this study was to develop a parent/caregiver-administered instrument for measuring diet quality and behaviors of preschoolers as a nutrition quotient for preschoolers (NQ-P). METHODS: Development of NQ-P was carried out in three steps: item generation, item reduction, and validation. The 24-h dietary record was selected as the gold standard reference tool. The 38 items of the NQ-P checklist were derived from a systematic literature review, expert in-depth interviews, statistical analysis of the fifth Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey data, and national nutrition policies and recommendations. Self-administered questionnaires were delivered to parents who recorded 24-h dietary intakes of 100 responders aged 3~5 yr. Pearson's correlation was used to measure the level of agreement between questionnaires. Item reduction was performed, and 20 items were selected based on survey results, expert reviews, and priorities of national nutrition policy and recommendations. The 412 nationwide subjects sampled through daycare centers completed the 20-item checklist questionnaire. The construct validity of the NQ-P was assessed using confirmatory factor analysis, LISREL. RESULTS: After analyses of exploratory factors, NQ-P items identified three dimensions of diet (balance, moderation, and environment). The three-factor structure accounted for 49.28% of the total variance. Standardized path coefficients were used as weights of the items. The NQ-P and three-factor scores of the subjects were calculated by the obtained weights of the questionnaire items. CONCLUSION: A food behavior checklist for preschoolers' NQ would be a useful and suitable instrument for evaluating nutrition adequacy and dietary quality of Korean preschoolers.

Evaluation of Nutrition Quotient and Related Factors in Preschool Children / 대한지역사회영양학회지

OBJECTIVES: This study was conducted to evaluate the nutrition quotient (NQ) by gender and understand which factors influence NQ in preschool children. METHODS: Subjects were 245 children (110 boys, 135 girls) aged 4-6 years and their parents. The questionnaire composed of demographic characteristics, eating behavior factors and the NQ questions. The NQ consisted of 19 food behavior checklist items and all items were grouped into 5 factors: balance, diversity, moderation, regularity, and practice. Inbody J05, a measurement device that measures individual's body composition was used to measure children's anthropometric data. All data were statistically analyzed by SPSS program (Ver. 20) and the statistical differences in variables were evaluated by Student t-test, chi2-test, One-way ANOVA and Duncan's multiple range test. RESULTS: The total NQ score of the subjects was 65.3. The NQ score of girls (67.0) was significantly higher than that of the boys (63.2) (p<0.01). The girls' average scores of NQ factors including diversity (p<0.01) and practice (p<0.05) were higher than those of the boys. The analysis of related-factors influencing NQ scores showed that there was a significant difference among the groups according to feeding methods during infancy (p<0.05), breast feeding group being the highest. Furthermore, the NQ score showed a significant difference depending on how to correct children's unbalanced diet as well as parents' nutrition knowledge. The NQ score of obesity group tended to be lower than that of underweight group although there was no significant difference. CONCLUSIONS: Overall results indicated that the girls had better quality of diet and eating habits than the boys. Children and their parents need proper nutrition education and counseling to correct children's eating habits and to improve diet quality in kindergartens and in children care centers.

Relationships between children's Nutrition Quotient and the practice of the Dietary Guidelines of elementary school students and their mothers / 한국영양학회지

PURPOSE: This study was conducted in order to investigate children's Nutrition Quotient (NQ) and the degree of keeping the Dietary Guidelines of children and their mothers and to further examine the relationships between children and mothers. METHODS: The subjects were 281 children from 4th to 6th grade in an elementary school located in Gwangju and their mothers RESULTS: NQ of the children was 66.8 +/- 14.2, which was in the third (medium) grade. Among the five factors, the scores for Moderation and Diversity were in the second (high) grade, but those for Regularity, Practice, and Balance were in the third grade. Children of non-working mothers had significantly higher scores for NQ and Balance than those of working mothers. Children of mothers with age over 40 had a significantly higher score on Diversity than those with mothers under age 40. Children of mothers with higher education showed higher score for Regularity than those with lower education. Children from high-income families had higher score for Moderation. The score for children keeping the Dietary Guidelines was 78.8 +/- 10.5 and children of non-working mothers showed higher score than those of working mothers. The score for mothers practicing the Dietary Guidelines was 80.6 +/- 9.4 and non-working mothers and mothers with age over 40 had higher score. Children's NQ showed significant correlation with the score for keeping the Dietary Guidelines for children (r = 0.789, p < 0.001) and also with that of mothers (r = 0.235, p < 0.001). CONCLUSION: These results show that NQ of elementary school children in Gwangju is in the medium grade, the degree of practicing the Dietary Guidelines for children is pretty fair, and these factors are influenced by their mother's socioeconomic characteristics such as employment, age, education, and family income.

Evaluation of the diet and nutritional states of elementary and middle school students in the Daegu area by using nutrition quotient for children / 한국영양학회지

The purposes of this study are to assess the diet and nutritional states of elementary and middle school students in the Daegu area by using nutrition quotient (NQ) for children. A survey was conducted with 366 elementary school students and 364 middle school students. Elementary school students showed higher total NQ scores (66.2) than middle school students (58.3), without gender difference. Elementary school students showed higher NQ scores in all 5 domains (balance, diversity, abstinence, regularity, practice) than middle school students. As for gender difference, boys showed higher scores than girls in balance and diversity, and girls showed higher scores in abstinence than boys. When scores of 5 domains were evaluated as good or bad, the percentage of good was highest in abstinence (63.4%) and lowest in diversity (22.9%). The percentage distribution of NQ of 1st (excellent) to 5th (bad) grades were 8.4%, 13.6%, 44.5%, 19.3%, 14.2%, respectively. In the 1st grade, there were 9.5%p more elementary school students, and in the 5th grade, there were 11.6%p more middle school students. No gender differences were found in the distribution of the NQ grades. Since NQ for children presents a convenient method of evaluating the diet and nutritional states of many subjects simply and simultaneously, a follow-up study will hopefully revise and supplement the question items and standards of judgement by the age groups.

Successful Treatment of an Inoperable Pancreatic and Colon Cancer Patient with Taheebo Extract and Chemotherapy / 日本補完代替医療学会誌

A 58 year-old man affected by both inoperable pancreatic cancer and colon cancer was treated with chemotherapy gemcitabine and TS1. FR × 6 which contains sixfold effective ingredient, NQ801, was also given simultaneously. Partial response of both pancreatic and colon cancer was obtained by chemotherapy and FR × 6. Further examination of combined therapy will be needed.<br>

Nutritional Status of the Oldest-elderly Population in Sunchang County / 대한지역사회영양학회지

This study was investigated nutrient intakes and dietary evaluation index of the healthy subjects over 85 of Sunchang County to explore the improved dietary pattern for healthy aging of the elderly. The survey was conducted by personal interview to 161 elderly subjects (59 males and 102 females over 85) in 2006, and their daily dietary intake was assessed by 24-hr recalls and weighing one meal. The daily energy intakes of males were 1,335 +/-67 kcal, and those of females were 1,095 +/-38 kcal comprised of 66.8% and 68.4% of the EER for the age group of 75. The proportions of energy from carbohydrate : protein : lipid were 70.7 : 14.6 : 14.6 for males and 68.6 : 14.0 : 17.4 for females. The average protein intakes were 95.4% for males and 85.0% for females of RI, and the average calcium intakes were 54.3% for males and 43.6% for females of RI. The daily vitamin intakes were below 70% except vitamin A, vitamin B6, and vitamin E. The proportion of the relative risk groups of protein, phosphate, iron and vitamin A ranged 40-49% of RI over 75 year groups. The other nutrient intakes showed that there were over 50% risk groups. Especially for nutrients such as calcium, vitamin B1, vitamin B2, vitamin C, folate and niacin over 70% of the subjects were under risk. The median value of all nutrient intakes did not reach AI. The INQ of nutrients were over 0.8 except for folate and vitamin C. Calcium intakes were relatively low and needed attention. However, the ratio of calcium and phosphate showed 1 : 1.6, which appeared to be superior to the other districts. The DVS were higher as the dietary balance scores, KDDS were higher, and the groups with high KDDS had high intakes of nutrients compared to the groups with low KDDS. The high risk groups as judged by simple nutrition screening test had lower nutrient intakes than the groups of middle risk or low risk groups. The subjects in Sunchang area had relatively low intakes of several nutrients. However, judging from the desirable patterns of the energy proportion from three major nutrients, ratio of calcium and phosphate and INQ of nutrients there is a possibility that extended healthy aging might be related to the quality of nutrients and relative ratio between nutrients. To improve nutrient status of the elderly of the surveyed area further application involving KDDS and DVS appeared to be required.

The Roles of SEK1 in Nitric Oxide (NO) Induced Apoptsis of RAW264.7 cells / 대한면역학회지

Nitric oxide (NO) induces apoptotic cell death in murine RAW 264.7 macrophages. To elucidate the roles of SEK1/MKK4, a upstream kinase for both c-Jun N-terminal kinase/stress-activated protein kinase (JNK/SAPK) and p38 kinase, on NO-induced apoptosis, we generated clones of RAW 264.7 cells which stably overexpressd kinase inactive SEK1 (RAW/SEK1-Kl) or wild type SEK1 (RAW/SEK1-WT). Treatment of kinase inactive SEK1 transfected RAW 264.7 cells (RAW/SEK1-Kl) with sodium nitroprusside (SNP), a NO generating agent, significantly decreased the cell viability up to 20% of RAW control cells which were treated with the same amount of SNP. However, RAW/SEK1-WT cells were less susceptible to NO induced apoptosis. For a while, caspase-3 like activity in NO treated RAW/SEK1-Kl cells was significantly increased with parallell to apoptotic death rate. However, caspase1 like activity was not affected by NO in any transfectants. The NO induced apoptosis in RAW/SEK1-Kl cells was significantly prevented by the addition of caspase-3 like inhibitor (N-Ac- DEVD-CHO). In addition, the phosphotransferase activity of JNK1 in NO-treated RAW/SEK1-WT is significantly increased, but not in RAW/SEK1-Kl cells. These results suggest that SEK1 may play anti-apoptotic role in RAW cells from NO-induced apoptosis.

Study on Toxicity of Nitroquine-Dapson Compound & Its Treatment with Folic Acid or Folinic Acid in Mice and Dogs / 第三军医大学学报

The toxic effects of nitroquine-dapson compound(NQD) per os in mice and dogs were studied. The therapeutic index of NQD in mice(1911) is the highest among the six antimalarial preparations studied. The toxic effects(50mg/kg/ day for 3 successive days per os) in dogs were similar to those of nitroquine. They manifested themselves as the injury on the adrenal cortex and on the intestinal epithelium. When folic acid (4 mg/kg/day for 4 successive days) or folinic acid(0.3 mg/kg/day for 4 successive days) was administered intramuscularly to the toxicated animals, both the death rate and the incidence of diarrhea were greatly reduced. Pathological study confirmed that the injury on the intestinal epithelium was much milder and the goblet cell was much more numerous in the treated than in the untreated. The results suggest that folic acid or folinic acid can protect the less differentiated cells in the intestinal crypts, so that the clinical manifestations of NQD toxicity are reduced after treatment.