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Background: Health-related quality of life (HRQoL) reflects an individual's perception of their physical and mental health over time. Despite numerous studies linking physical activity to improved HRQoL, most rely on self-reported data, limiting the accuracy and generalizability of findings. This study leverages objective accelerometer data to explore the association between physical activity and HRQoL in Korean adults., Objective: The objective of this study is to analyze the relationship between objectively measured physical activity using accelerometers and HRQoL among Korean adults, aiming to inform targeted interventions for enhancing HRQoL through physical activity., Methods: This observational study included 1298 participants aged 19-64 years from the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHANES) VI, who wore an accelerometer for 7 consecutive days. HRQoL was assessed using the EQ-5D questionnaire, and physical activity was quantified as moderate-to-vigorous physical activity accelerometer-total (MVPA-AT) and accelerometer-bout (MVPA-AB). Data were analyzed using logistic regression to determine the odds ratio (ORs) for low HRQoL, adjusting for socioeconomic variables and mental health factors., Results: Participants with higher HRQoL were younger, more likely to be male, single, highly educated, employed in white-collar jobs, and had higher household incomes. They also reported less stress and better subjective health status. The high HRQoL group had significantly more participants meeting MVPA-AB ≥600 metabolic equivalents (P<.01). Logistic regression showed that participants meeting MVPA-AB ≥600 metabolic equivalents had higher odds of high HRQoL (OR 1.55, 95% CI 1.11-2.17). Adjusted models showed consistent results, although the association weakened when adjusting for mental health factors (OR 1.45, 95% CI 1.01-2.09)., Conclusions: The study demonstrates a significant association between HRQoL and moderate to vigorous physical activity sustained for at least 10 minutes, as measured by accelerometer. These findings support promoting physical activity, particularly sustained moderate to vigorous activity, to enhance HRQoL. Further interventional studies focusing on specific physical activity domains such as occupational, leisure-time, and commuting activities are warranted., (©Sujeong Han, Bumjo Oh, Ho Jun Kim, Seo Eun Hwang, Jong Seung Kim. Originally published in JMIR Human Factors (https://humanfactors.jmir.org), 03.09.2024.)

Background: HX110-A and HX110-B are compound extracts based on radix adenophorae and rhizoma dioscoreae, respectively, which have anti-inflammatory activity. There are limited data on whether they may help improve respiratory conditions including lung function. Therefore, in this trial, we will evaluate the effectiveness and safety of the use of HX110-A and HX110-B for the treatment of respiratory health in adults with mild respiratory symptoms., Methods: This will be an 8-week, randomized, double-blind, parallel group, placebo-controlled trial with three arms. Adults more than 40 years old with persistent respiratory symptoms will be enrolled. Patients with definite respiratory disease or with a history of recent intake of antioxidants or anti-inflammatory agents will be excluded. Study subjects will be assigned at a 1:1:1 ratio into the following three arms: controls, experimental group 1 (HX110-A), and experimental group 2 (HX110-B). Control or experimental foods will be administered for 8 weeks, and follow-up will be up to 12 weeks. The primary outcome will be total antioxidant capacity. Secondary outcomes will be inflammatory indexes, respiratory symptoms, lung function, quality of life, and fatigue level. Safety outcomes will be assessed by monitoring adverse events and vital signs, and through clinical pathology tests., Results: This trial will reveal the effectiveness and safety of HX110-A and/or HX110-B for medical purposes in adults with respiratory symptoms. The results should clarify if active intake of specific foods with these functional compounds may promote respiratory health in adults without definite respiratory disease., Trial Registration: Clinical Research Information Service, KCT0003614. Registered 12 May 2019 (Respectively registered, https://cris.nih.go.kr/cris/en/search/search&#95;result&#95;st01.jsp?seq=13364).

Background: While health-related quality of life (HRQoL) has clinical value, its determinants, particularly objective health-related measurements, have not been fully explored. This study seeks to identify the biological indicators that relate to HRQoL among a group of older Korean adults using a machine-learning approach., Methods: We used physical and mental scores from the 36-item Short Form Health Survey (SF-36) to measure HRQoL among older Korean adults who participated in the Korean Longitudinal Study of Aging (KLoSA) biomarker pilot study (N = 385). The variables for the multivariate penalized regression analysis included demographic factors, medical measurements, physical performance, and health-related behaviors., Results: The multivariate profiles identified several significant biomarkers that relate to quality of life. Among the 20 variables, handgrip strength was the most powerful indicator in both men and women for the SF-36 physical scores, followed by walking speed. Age and total sleep duration exclusively were significantly associated with the SF-36 physical scores only in women, whereas body mass index, blood pressure, and sit-to-stand times were unique elements in men., Conclusions: The present study suggests significant physical indicators that explain quality of life in elderly populations, using a data-driven approach. Based on these findings, maintaining a good level of physical performance is considered a key element of successful aging., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors certify that there is no conflict of interest with any financial organization regarding the material discussed in the manuscript., (Copyright © 2019 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Sleep debt is known to have harmful effects on health. Weekend catch-up sleep (CUS) is a behavior to cope with weekday sleep debt. However, it is unclear whether weekend CUS has advantageous effects on health because sleep hygiene guidelines recommend regularizing bed time and arousal time. The aim of this study was to identify whether weekend CUS behavior has an association with better health-related quality of life (HRQoL)According to the inclusion criteria, 4871 participants were selected from the 2016 Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. Sleep questionnaires and European quality of life scale-5 dimensions (EQ-5D) questionnaire were used to collect data about the participants' sleep patterns and HRQoL. Odds ratios (ORs) with 95% confidence intervals (95% CIs) for each dimensional problem of EQ-5D were derived by logistic regression. Mean EQ-5D index scores were compared between weekend CUS and non-CUS groups based on their weekday sleep durations and quintile of chronotype.The ORs of dimensional problems of HRQoL of non-CUS group versus weekend CUS group were 1.63 (95% CI 1.07, 2.47) for usual activities, and 1.45 (95% CI 1.11, 1.90) for anxiety/depression. Mean EQ-5D scores of the weekend CUS group were significantly higher than those of the non-CUS group for sleeping less than 6 hours (0.953 ± 0.004 vs 0.936 ± 0.007, P = .036) and sleeping 6 to 7 hours (0.965 ± 0.003 vs 0.955 ± .0.004, P = .045). These findings were similar in the fourth quintile (Q4) of chronotype (0.965 ± 0.007 vs 0.951 ± 0.008, P = .008) and fifth quintile (Q5) (0.952 ± 0.006 vs 0.941 ± 0.007, P = .022).Weekend CUS behavior was associated with better HRQoL than non-CUS among Korean adults. Especially, it was significant in participants who slept for less than 7 hours or participants whose chronotype was the fourth or fifth quintile. Attention may be needed for subjects with sleep short time and later chronotype who do not have weekend-CUS behaviors, because there is a risk that their HRQoL might be compromised.

Background: If an association between a decline in physical performance and subjective QOL is confirmed, the SPPB could be used as a predictor for declining QOL in older people., Objective: This study aimed to elucidate the association between the short physical performance battery (SPPB) and QOL (EQ-5D) to determine the utility of the SPPB as a predictor of declining QOL., Methods: The SPPB and the EQ-5D test were performed with a random sample of participants nested in the Korean Longitudinal Study of Aging (KLoSA) panel. Comparisons of the adjusted mean scores on the EQ-5D index between normal and abnormal SPPB groups were performed. We selected the quartiles of the EQ-5D index variables for the analysis. The association between the EQ-5D index and SPPB abnormality was examined using multinomial logistic regression analysis. Additionally, the associations between gait speed and chair stand time and the EQ-5D index were examined using the same analysis., Results: Four hundred and twenty-two subjects were included in the analysis. The adjusted means for the EQ-5D index were significantly lower when the SPPB score was abnormal (p=0.022 for men, p=0.047 for women). An abnormal SPPB score was significantly associated with the lowest quartile of EQ-5D index score (adjusted OR 3.54 in the lowest quartile for men; adjusted OR 2.50 and 3.37 in the lowest and second quartiles for women). Gait speed was significantly associated with the EQ-5D index for participants of both sexes, but standup time was associated with the EQ-5D index only for men., Conclusions: An abnormal SPPB score was associated with lower QOL. Thus, the SPPB has the potential to be used as an early predictor of declining QOL in clinical settings and epidemiological studies., (Copyright © 2013. Published by Elsevier Ireland Ltd.)

Background: It is well known that cancer greatly affects not only patients but also their families. However, few studies on caregivers' quality of life have been conducted within the Asian population., Methods: We carried out a survey using well-constructed, self-administered questionnaires that were answered by pairs of patients with cancer and their spouse-caregivers (n=100 pairs) who were visiting the cancer daycare center at Seoul National University Hospital. The caregiver's quality of life (QOL) was assessed by the Korean version of the Caregiver Quality Of Life Index-Cancer (CQOLC), which contains four domains along with other items. Possible determinants of caregiver QOL were categorized according to sociodemographic factors, caregiver burden, health risk factors, spirituality, and family function. Multiple linear regression analysis was used to identify the factors associated with spouse-caregivers' QOL., Results: Having a reason or purpose for living was associated with the total CQOLC score (β=3.408, p=0.025) and positive adaptation (β=1.035, p=0.009). Family function was associated with total CQOLC and all the domains except burden, and caregivers' religion was associated with total CQOLC. Monthly household income and cigarette smoking status were associated with financial concern., Conclusions: Having a reason and purpose for living, which is an aspect of spirituality, was a relevant factor in the spousal caregivers' QOL. Future research is needed to confirm the association between spirituality and caregivers' QOL and whether interventions supporting spirituality could improve their QOL.