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Objectives: The purposes of this study were to (1) examine the multi-year prevalence of highly caffeinated beverage (HCB) consumption, (2) identify sex differences in the prevalence, and (3) investigate relationships between HCB consumption and behavioral characteristics in a nationally representative sample of Korean adolescents.Methods: Data from the Korea Youth Risk Behavior Web-based Survey (2014–2017) were analyzed.Results: HCB consumption was higher in 2017 than 2014 (23.9% vs. 12.0%), and higher among boys than girls (17.2% vs. 13.1%). HCB drinkers were more likely to (1) be boys, (2) be overweight or obese, (3) use alcohol and tobacco, (4) consume soda at least once per week, (5) consume sweetened beverages at least once per week, (6) have seriously considered suicide during the past 12 months, and (7) have attempted suicide during the past 12 months (p

A continuous high-fat/high-fructose diet induces inflammation and lowers vascular endothelial function in the body. This research examined the effects of black raspberry (BR) powder consumption on the inflammatory response and endothelial dysfunction in rats fed with a high-fat diet and fructose solution. Wistar rats were randomly divided into two groups as control (AIN-93G diet + distilled water) and HFF (high-fat diet + 20% fructose solution) groups, for 16 weeks. At 8 weeks, the HFF was further divided into three subgroups: HFF, HFFBR2.5 (2.5% BR in high-fat diet), and HFFBR5 (5% BR in high-fat diet). The BR-fed groups showed significantly higher high-density lipoprotein-cholesterol and lower triglycerides than the HFF group. Rats supplemented with BR showed decreased mRNA and protein expressions of inflammatory cytokines and adhesion molecules in the liver and aorta tissues. Furthermore, the aortic protein expression of endothelial nitroxide synthase was significantly greater in the HFFBR2.5 and HFFBR5 than HFF. PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS: Black raspberry (BR: Rubus occidentalis) is abundant in flavonoids and anthocyanins. BR displays various biological activities and has been used to alleviate inflammatory conditions. In our study, BR supplementation showed promising effects against high-fat/high-fructose diet-induced inflammation and endothelial dysfunction in rats by decreasing markers of inflammation and improving vascular endothelial function. These findings suggest that BR consumption could have beneficial effects on the risk factors of cardiovascular disease.

Background : Adolescents in South Korea may be particularly vulnerable to highly caffeinated beverage consumption, which may lead to psychological and physiological problems. However, correlates of highly caffeinated beverage consumption have not been rigorously examined for Korean adolescents. This study investigated socio-demographic and behavioral factors related to highly caffeinated beverage consumption, using a nationally representative sample of Korean adolescents. Methods : We used 267,907 middle and high school students from the Korea Youth Risk Behavior Web-based Survey collected from year 2014 to 2017 for the present cross-sectional study. We employed multiple logistic regression to examine the associations between highly caffeinated beverage consumption and socio-demographic and behavioral factors. Results : Highly caffeinated beverage consumption was higher in 2017 than 2014 (23.9% vs. 12.0%) among Korean adolescents. Drinkers of highly caffeinated beverages were more likely to be boys, to be overweight or obese, to overestimate their body weight, to drink soda > 1 time per week, and to drink sweetened beverages > 1 time per week ( p s < .05). Additionally, drinkers of highly caffeinated beverages were more likely to feel stressed, to feel sadness and depression, to seriously consider suicide, and to attempt suicide during last 12 months ( p s < .05). Among male participants, drinkers of highly caffeinated beverages were less likely to meet the recommended 8 to 10 hours of sleep per night ( p < .05). Conclusions : Highly caffeinated beverage consumption is a potential health concern, as drinkers of highly caffeinated beverages were more likely to report health and behavioral problems. New strategies are needed to effectively curb highly caffeinated beverage consumption in Korea.

Summary Despite many reported bioactivities of curcumin, its application is limited due to its low bioavailability, solubility and stability. Proteins have been reported to stabilise curcumin in aqueous media, and stabilisation of curcumin could be enhanced when proteins form an electrostatic complex with polysaccharides. In this study, electrostatic complexes of sodium caseinate (NaCas) were prepared using high-methoxyl pectin (HMP and NaCas-HMP) and carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC and NaCas-CMC). NaCas to polysaccharide ratio of 1:2 resulted in the lowest turbidity and sedimentation. The electrostatic complexes were more stable than native NaCas against pH change and ionic strength. Binding of curcumin to NaCas and the electrostatic complexes were confirmed by UV-vis and fluorescence spectra and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR). The electrostatic complexes showed a higher binding constant and protected curcumin better than the native NaCas. This study suggests that the electrostatic complexes may be a superior carrier to NaCas at an acidic environment.

The objective of this study was to evaluate the status of the markers related to inflammation in db/db mice fed black raspberry seed (BRS) oil, which is rich in α-linolenic acid. Mice were divided into four groups: (1) C57BL/6 mice fed 16 % calories from soybean oil (normal CON); (2) C57BL/KsJ-db/db mice fed 16 % calories from soybean oil (CON); (3) C57BL/KsJ-db/db mice fed 8 % calories from soybean and 8 % calories from BRS oil (BRS 50 %); and (4) C57BL/KsJ-db/db mice fed 16 % calories from BRS oil (BRS 100 %). After 10 weeks, n-6/n-3 fatty acid ratios were significantly (P

Antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities of ethanol extracts (E) and anthocyanin fractions (AF) from the 3 Rubus fruits blackberries, Korean raspberries, and black raspberries (BR) produced in Korea were determined. BR contained the highest levels of total polyphenols, flavonoids, anthocyanins, and the highest antioxidant activity. E and AF protected RAW 264.7 cells against H2O2-induced cytotoxicity. AF at 20 µg/mL significantly (p

The objective of this study was to determine antioxidant properties of polyphenol fractions of cranberry powder employing lipopolysaccharides (LPS)-stimulated RAW264.7 macrophage cells. Ethyl acetate fraction (EF) and methanol fraction (MF) of cranberry powder were prepared using a C18 Sep-Pak cartridge. When cells were treated with LPS for 20 h, intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) and DNA damage significantly increased. In cells pre-treated with EF, MF, and total fraction (TF: combining EF and MF), significant reductions of intracellular ROS were observed. The tested fractions reduced LPS-induced DNA damage measured by Hoechst staining. In addition, LPS-induced DNA oxidation was attenuated when cells were pre-treated with TF and MF. However, there was no significant difference in LPS-induced superoxide dismutase activity. Key words: cranberry, polyphenol, antioxidant, inflammationReceived 28 April 2015; Accepted 7 July 2015Corresponding author: Ho-Kyung Kwak, Department of Home Economics, Korea National Open University, Seoul 110-791, Korea E-mail: hkkwak@knou.ac.kr, Phone: +82-2-3668-4649

Black raspberry (BRB) seeds are a major waste product after fruit processing. The seeds are abundant in ellagitannins (ET), a class of hydrolysable tannins, which are hydrolyzed to ellagic acid (EA) and further metabolized to urolithin A (UA) and urolithin B (UB), known to be bioavailable in the colon and the prostate. In this study, the anti-cancer activities of these compounds were evaluated on HT-29 colon cancer cells. ET, EA, UA and UB inhibited the proliferation of the cancer cells. EA caused a slight, but significant cell cycle arrest at the G1 phase, and urolithins caused cell cycle arrest at the G2/M phase and upregulated p21 expression. Apoptotic cells were detected by Annexin V-FITC/PI assay when treated with the compounds. Disruption in mitochondrial membrane potential and activation of caspases 8 and 9 suggest that both extrinsic and intrinsic apoptotic pathways may be involved. Activation of caspase 3 and cleavage of PARP further confirmed the induction of the apoptosis. ET, EA, UA and UB showed anti-cancer activity by arresting the cell cycle and inducing apoptosis on HT-29 human colon cancer cells. This study suggests that the BRB seeds could be a potential source of anti-cancer ET.

Cyanidin-3-glucoside (C3G) and cyanidin-3-rutinoside (C3R) are 2 major anthocyanins found in Korean Rubus fruits (blackberries, raspberries, and black raspberries). The antioxidant and antiinflammatory effects of C3G and C3R in RAW264.7 murine macrophage cells were determined. Anthocyanins (5, 10, and 20 μg/mL) significantly (p

This study was conducted to investigate the effects of cranberry power on antioxidant defense system in rats fed an atherogenic diet and injected with lipopolysaccharide (LPS). Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into the following 5 groups: normal diet+saline (NS), atherogenic diet+saline (AS), atherogenic diet+LPS (AL), atherogenic diet with 5% cranberry powder+LPS (AL-C5), and atherogenic diet with 10% cranberry powder+LPS (AL-C10). Total antioxidant status measured by ferric reducing ability of plasma (FRAP) was significantly reduced by LPS injection (24%) and was restored by the cranberry powder treatment (P

Purpose Almonds have shown to beneficially modify some cardiovascular risk factors in clinical trials conducted in diverse ethnic populations but this relationship has never been tested in Koreans. Thus, we tested the impact of almonds consumed as a snack within the context of a typical Korean diet on cardiovascular risk factors. Methods We conducted a randomized, crossover trial in a free-living setting with a 2-week run-in period, two 4-week intervention phases, and a 2-week washout period between interventions. Eighty four overweight/obese participants (11 M/73 F; 52.4 ± 0.6 year; 25.4 ± 0.22 kg/m2) consumed either 56 g of almonds or isocaloric cookies daily for 4 weeks. Results Mean % daily energy intake at baseline was 64.8, 21.3, and 14.9% from carbohydrate, fat, and protein, respectively. The addition of 56 g of almonds daily decreased carbohydrate energy to 55.0%, increased fat to 32.0%, and maintained protein at 14.7%. Consuming the almonds increased intake of MUFA by 192.3%, PUFA by 84.5%, vitamin E by 102.7%, and dietary fiber by 11.8% and decreased % energy from carbohydrate by 14.1%. Total caloric intake was increased by the almonds, but body weight, waist circumference, and body composition were not affected. Almonds in overweight and obese Korean adults decreased TC, LDL-C, and non-HDL-C by 5.5, 4.6, and 6.4%, respectively, compared to the cookie control (P ≤ 0.05). Almonds increased plasma α-tocopherol by 8.5% (P ≤ 0.05) from the baseline and tended to increase its value as compared to cookies (P = 0.055). Neither the almonds nor cookies altered plasma protein carbonyls, MDA or oxLDL. Of serum inflammatory markers, IL-10 was decreased by almond intake (P ≤ 0.05), and ICAM-1, IL-1β, and IL-6 tended to be lower with almonds, compared to the cookies. Conclusions Almonds at 56 g/day consumed as a snack favorably modified the Korean diet by increasing MUFA, PUFA, vitamin E, and dietary fiber intake and decreasing % energy intake from carbohydrate. Almonds also enhanced plasma α-tocopherol status and serum TC and LDL-C in overweight and obese Koreans. Thus, including almonds in typical Korean diets as a snack can help healthy overweight/obese individuals improve nutritional status and reduce their risk for CVD. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (doi:10.1007/s00394-017-1480-5) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Resveratrol (RVT) and epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) individually inhibit adipogenesis in 3T3-L1 adipocytes. The objective was to examine the possibility of interaction between RVT and EGCG, resulting in enhanced inhibition of adipogenesis in 3T3-L1 adipocytes. Preadipocytes were treated with RVT and EGCG individually at 6.25 or 25μM (RVT6.25 or RVT25) and 12.5 or 50μM (EGCG12.5 or EGCG50) and in combination (RVT6.25 + EGCG12.5 and RVT25 + EGCG50). RVT25 as an individual compound decreased lipid accumulation in 3T3-L1 adipocytes by 24%, and RVT25 + EGCG50 further decreased lipid accumulation by 77%. In addition, exposure of 3T3-L1 adipocytes to RVT6.25 + EGCG12.5 and RVT25 + EGCG50 combinations resulted in an enhanced increase of adiponectin release and inhibition of leptin release. Quantitative analysis revealed that the combination of tested materials (RVT6.25 + EGCG12.5 and RVT25 + EGCG50) decreased the expression levels of C/EBPα, PPARγ2, and aP2. These results indicate that the combined treatments with RVT and EGCG produce synergistic effects on inhibiting adipogenesis in 3T3-L1 adipocytes. The overall results suggested that the combining RVT and EGCG might be more capable of exerting antiobesity effects than each individual compound by itself. Key words: epigallocatechin gallate, resveratrol, 3T3-L1, adipogenesis, synergistic effect

This study examined the effects of Acanthopanax senticosus supplementation on serum lipid profiles, biomarkers of oxidative stress, and lymphocyte DNA damage in postmenopausal women. Forty postmenopausal women, ages 40-65, were randomly divided into two groups: (1) control group (calcium) and (2) treatment group (calcium plus A. senticosus). Both groups were treated for 6 months. Blood samples were obtained before and after supplementation at 6 months. The following blood parameters were measured: serum total cholesterol, triglycerides (TG), low-density lipoprotein (LDL), high-density lipoprotein (HDL), serum malondialdehyde (MDA), ccdd protein-carbonyl (PC) levels, the degree of lymphocyte DNA damage by comet assay, total ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP), uric acid, and total bilirubin in serum. The treatment group had significant decreases (p0.001) in serum LDL (127.54+/-29.79mg/dL vs 110.33+/-22.26mg/dL) and the LDL/HDL ratio (2.40+/-0.65 vs 2.11+/-0.58) after A. senticosus supplementation. Serum MDA concentrations decreased by 2.2% in the control group and by 12.61% in the treatment group after 6 months of intervention; however, the reductions were not significant in either group. Protein-carbonyl levels and lymphocyte DNA damage decreased significantly (p0.001 and p0.05, respectively) after 6 months of A. senticosus supplementation. These results suggest that A. senticosus supplementation may have beneficial effects against oxidative stress and improve serum lipid profiles without subsequent side effects.

This study investigated that the antioxidative effect of freeze-dried cranberry powder against protein and lipid oxidation and ameliorative effect of serum lipid profile in rat fed atherogenic diet. Six weeks old male Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into the following four groups: normal diet group with 5% corn oil (control), atherogenic diet group with 5% corn oil, 10% lard, 1% cholesterol, and 0.5% sodium cholate (HFC), atherogenic plus 2% cranberry powder diet group (HFC + C2), and atherogenic plus 5% cranberry powder diet group (HFC + C5), and respective diet and water were fed daily for 6 weeks. After the experimental period, the serum lipid profile, such as total cholesterol, HDL-cholesterol, LDL-cholesterol, and triglyceride, ferric reducing ability of plasma (FRAP), plasma phenolics content, superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity, serum protein carbonyl and thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) levels were examined. Total phenolic compound and total flavonoid levels in freeze-dried cranberry powder were 9.94 mg/g and 8.12 mg/g, respectively. Serum total cholesterol and LDL-cholesterol levels were not significantly different for cranberry powder treatment, but serum HDL-cholesterol level was significantly increased in HFC + C5 group compared with HFC group. Plasma FRAP value tended to be increased by cranberry powder treatment though there was no significant difference. Plasma total phenol concentrations and SOD activities were not significantly different among all groups. Serum protein carbonyl and TBARS levels were significantly decreased in HFC + C5 group compared with HFC group. Overall results suggested that freeze-dried cranberry powder might have the serum lipid improving effect, as well as antioxidative effect demonstrated by its protective effect against protein and lipid oxidation.

The intake of phenolic acids and related polyphenolic compounds has been inversely associated with the risk of heart disease, but limited information is available about their bioavailability or mechanisms of action. Polyphenolics, principally avenanthramides, and simple phenolic acids in oat bran phenol-rich powder were dissolved in HCl:H(2)O:methanol (1:19:80) and characterized by HPLC with electrochemical detection. The bioavailability of these oat phenolics was examined in BioF1B hamsters. Hamsters were gavaged with saline containing 0.25 g oat bran phenol-rich powder (40 micromol phenolics), and blood was collected between 20 and 120 min. Peak plasma concentrations of avenanthramides A and B, p-coumaric, p-hydroxybenzoic, vanillic, ferulic, sinapic, and syringic acids appeared at 40 min. Although absorbed oat phenolics did not enhance ex vivo resistance of LDL to Cu(2+)-induced oxidation, in vitro addition of ascorbic acid synergistically extended the lag time of the 60-min sample from 137 to 216 min (Por = 0.05), unmasking the bioactivity of the oat phenolics from the oral dose. The antioxidant capability of oat phenolics to protect human LDL against oxidation induced by 10 micromol/L Cu(2+) was also determined in vitro. Oat phenolics from 0.52 to 1.95 micromol/L increased the lag time to LDL oxidation in a dose-dependent manner (Por = 0.0001). Combining the oat phenolics with 5 micromol/L ascorbic acid extended the lag time in a synergistic fashion (Por = 0.005). Thus, oat phenolics, including avenanthramides, are bioavailable in hamsters and interact synergistically with vitamin C to protect LDL during oxidation.

Background: Dark chocolate derived from the plant (Theobroma cacao) is a rich source of flavonoids. Cardioprotective effects including antioxidant properties, inhibition of platelet activity, and activation of endothelial nitric oxide synthase have been ascribed to the cocoa flavonoids. Objective: To investigate the effects of flavonoid-rich dark chocolate on endothelial function, measures of oxidative stress, blood lipids, and blood pressure in healthy adult subjects. Design: The study was a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled design conducted over a 2 week period in 21 healthy adult subjects. Subjects were randomly assigned to daily intake of high-flavonoid (213 mg procyanidins, 46 mg epicatechin) or low-flavonoid dark chocolate bars (46 g, 1.6 oz). Results: High-flavonoid chocolate consumption improved endothelium-dependent flow-mediated dilation (FMD) of the brachial artery (mean change 1.3 0.7%) as compared to low-flavonoid chocolate consumption (mean change 0.96 0.5%) (p 0.024). No significant differences were noted in the resistance to LDL oxidation, total antioxidant capacity, 8-isoprostanes, blood pressure, lipid parameters, body weight or body mass index (BMI) between the two groups. Plasma epicatechin concentrations were markedly increased at 2 weeks in the high-flavonoid group (204.4 18.5 nmol/L, p 0.001) but not in the low-flavonoid group (17.5 9 nmol/L, p 0.99). Conclusion: Flavonoid-rich dark chocolate improves endothelial function and is associated with an increase in plasma epicatechin concentrations in healthy adults. No changes in oxidative stress measures, lipid profiles, blood pressure, body weight or BMI were seen.

Cyanidin-3-glucoside (C3G) and cyanidin-3- rutinoside (C3R) are 2 major anthocyanins found in Korean Rubus fruits (blackberries, raspberries, and black raspberries). The antioxidant and antiinflammatory effects of C3G and C3R in RAW264.7 murine macrophage cells were determined. Anthocyanins (5, 10, and 20 µg/mL) significantly (p

Antioxidant properties of ethanol extracts (EE) of Rubus fruits (Blackberry; BB, Korean raspberry; KR, and black raspberry; BR) and their anthocyanin fractions (AF) were examined employing H2O2-sti...

The Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA) of vitamin B-6 for young women was recently reduced from 1.6 to 1.3 mg/d based on an adequate plasma pyridoxal phosphate (PLP) concentration of 20 nmol/L. To assess vitamin B-6 requirements and suggest recommendations for intake, seven healthy young women consumed a controlled diet providing 1.2 g protein/kg body weight for a 7-d adjustment period (1.0 mg vitamin B-6/d) and three successive 14-d experimental periods (1.5, 2.1 and 2.7 mg/d, respectively). Direct and indirect vitamin B-6 status indicators were measured in plasma, erythrocytes and urine. Indicators most strongly correlated with vitamin B-6 intake [i.e., plasma and erythrocyte PLP, urinary 4-pyridoxic acid (4-PA) and total vitamin B-6] were regressed on vitamin B-6 intake and the dietary vitamin B-6 to protein ratio. Inverse prediction using adequate and baseline values estimated vitamin B-6 requirement. Adequate values were determined for plasma PLP and urinary 4-PA from baseline values of 60 previous subjects, using the statistical method suggested by Sauberlich. The current study suggests a vitamin B-6 Estimated Average Requirement (EAR) for young women of 1.1 mg/d or 0.016 mg/g protein, and a RDA of 1.5 mg/d or 0.020 mg/g protein. When results from this study are combined with data from four other recent studies, the combined data predict an EAR of 1.2 mg/d or 0.015 mg/g protein, and a RDA of 1.7 mg/d or 0.018 mg/g protein. This study suggests that the current vitamin B-6 RDA may not be adequate.

Black raspberry (BRB) seeds are a major waste product after fruit processing. The seeds are abundant in ellagitannins (ET), a class of hydrolysable tannins, which are hydrolyzed to ellagic acid (EA) and further metabolized to urolithin A (UA) and urolithin B (UB), known to be bioavailable in the colon and the prostate. In this study, the anti-cancer activities of these compounds were evaluated on HT-29 colon cancer cells. ET, EA, UA and UB inhibited the proliferation of the cancer cells. EA caused a slight, but significant cell cycle arrest at the G1 phase, and urolithins caused cell cycle arrest at the G2/M phase and upregulated p21 expression. Apoptotic cells were detected by Annexin V-FITC/PI assay when treated with the compounds. Disruption in mitochondrial membrane potential and activation of caspases 8 and 9 suggest that both extrinsic and intrinsic apoptotic pathways may be involved. Activation of caspase 3 and cleavage of PARP further confirmed the induction of the apoptosis. ET, EA, UA and UB showed anti-cancer activity by arresting the cell cycle and inducing apoptosis on HT-29 human colon cancer cells. This study suggests that the BRB seeds could be a potential source of anti-cancer ET.

To examine the effect of increased intake levels of vitamin B-6 (B-6) on lymphocyte proliferation and interleukin 2 (IL-2) concentration, young women (n = 7) consumed a constant diet containing 1 mg (5.91 micro mol) B-6/d for a 7-d adjustment period, followed by three 14-d experimental periods during which the daily B-6 intake was 1.5, 2.1 and 2.7 mg (8.86, 12.41 and 15.95 micro mol)/d, respectively. Weekly fasting blood and daily 24-h urine samples were collected. Lymphocyte proliferation and IL-2 production were measured in response to phytohemagglutinin. Vitamin B-6 status improved with increased B-6 intake as measured by plasma pyridoxal 5'-phosphate (PLP) and urinary 4-pyridoxic acid. When subjects consumed 2.1 mg B-6/d for 7 d, lymphocyte proliferation increased by 35% (P < or = 0.05) compared with the mean value after consumption of 1.5 mg B-6/d for 14 d. There was no further enhancement after an additional week of 2.1 and 2.7 mg B-6/d for 2 wk. Lymphocyte proliferation was correlated (P < or = 0.01) with vitamin B-6 intake (r = 0.757), plasma PLP (r = 0.456) and erythrocyte aminotransferase activities (r = -0.361). Plasma IL-2 concentration and in vitro production did not change throughout the study, although five of seven subjects showed increases with intakes of 2.1 and 2.7 mg B-6/d, respectively, compared with the 1.5 mg/d intake. Concentrations of PLP in peripheral blood mononuclear cells were correlated (r = 0.357, P < or = 0.01) with plasma PLP, but not with proliferation. These results show that improving vitamin B-6 status by consuming a B-6 intake higher than the current Recommended Dietary Allowance enhances lymphocyte proliferation.

Increased oxidative stress in obese diabetes may have causal effects on diabetic complications, including dyslipidemia. Lipopolysccharides (LPS) along with an atherogenic diet have been found to increase oxidative stress and insulin resistance. Cranberry has been recognized as having beneficial effects on diseases related to oxidative stress. Therefore, we employed obese diabetic animals treated with an atherogenic diet and LPS, with the aim of examining the effects of cranberry powder (CP) on diabetic related metabolic conditions, including lipid profiles, serum insulin and glucose, and biomarkers of oxidative stress. Forty C57BL/KsJ-db/db mice were divided into the following five groups: normal diet + saline, atherogenic diet + saline, atherogenic diet + LPS, atherogenic diet + 5% CP + LPS, and atherogenic diet + 10% CP + LPS. Consumption of an atherogenic diet resulted in elevation of serum total cholesterol and atherogenic index (AI) and reduction of high density lipoprotein (HDL)-cholesterol. However, with 10% CP, the increase in mean HDL-cholesterol level was close to that of the group with a normal diet, whereas AI was maintained at a higher level than that of the group with a normal diet. LPS induced elevated serum insulin level was lowered by greater than 60% with CP (P < 0.05), and mean serum glucose level was reduced by approximately 19% with 5% CP (P > 0.05). Mean activity of liver cytosolic glutathione peroxidase was significantly increased by LPS injection, however it was reduced back to the value without LPS when the diet was fortified with 10% CP (P < 0.05). In groups with CP, a reduction in mean levels of serum protein carbonyl tended to occur in a dose dependent manner. Particularly with 10% CP, a reduction of approximately 89% was observed (P > 0.05). Overall results suggest that fortification of the atherogenic diet with CP may have potential health benefits for obese diabetes with high oxidative stress, by modulation of physical conditions, including some biomarkers of oxidative stress.

This study was conducted to examine the differences in perceived body weight and image and various lifestyles based on the self-rated health of university students when gender was adjusted. Five hundred fifty-five participants were asked their perceived health condition, and 58, 289, 160 and 48 students answered themselves as "very healthy", "healthy", "normal", and "unhealthy", respectively. As compared to the other 3 groups, "unhealthy" group showed higher proportions in dissatisfaction of body weight and negative perception of body image (P < 0.01). As health related lifestyles, "very healthy" group reported longer sleeping time than "unhealthy" group (P < 0.05), and had a higher proportion of people with regular exercise. Among the dietary behaviors, the frequencies of followings significantly different among the groups: "Regularity of meal time" (P < 0.01), "Eat protein foods more than twice a day" (P < 0.001), "Eat vegetables" (P < 0.01), "Eat fruit and fruit juice" (P < 0.01), "Eat vegetable oil added foods" (P < 0.01), "Eat seaweed" (P < 0.01), "Eat breakfast" (P < 0.01), "Modulation in animal fat and high in cholesterol intake" (P < 0.01). Particularly, higher proportion of subjects answered "very healthy" had higher frequencies (6-7 times/ week) of these dietary behaviors. Overall results suggest that healthy lifestyle including adequate sleeping time, regular exercise, and good dietary behaviors might be potential factors affecting positive perception of health. In addition, positive perception of body weight and image were related with positive perception of health. (Korean J Community Nutr 16(6) : 672~682, 2011)

This study investigated the effects of freeze-dried cranberry powder on anti-inflammation and lipid profiles of lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-treated rats fed an atherogenic diet for 6 weeks. Forty Sprague-Dawley male rats (6-weeks-old) were equally divided into the following five groups: 1) normal diet group + saline (NC); 2) atherogenic diet + saline (HFC); 3) atherogenic diet + LPS (HL); 4) atherogenic diet with 5% cranberry power + LPS (C5); 5) atherogenic diet with 10% cranberry power + LPS (C10). LPS (0.5 mg/kg) was injected into the abdominal cavities of rats 18 hours prior to sacrifice. At the end of the experimental period, we measured serum lipid profiles as well as levels of serum C-reactive protein (CRP), nitric oxide (NO), and pro-inflammatory cytokines such as tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), interleukin (IL)-1β, IL-6, and IL-10 as an anti-inflammatory cytokine. The mean serum high density lipoprotein (HDL)-cholesterol level in C5 rats was significantly higher than that in NC and HL rats (P < 0.05). The mean serum levels of CRP and IL-1β were significantly lower (P < 0.05) in the cranberry powder groups compared to those in HL rats. Additionally, mean serum IL-6 levels tended to be lower in the cranberry groups than that in the HL group, whereas serum IL-10 and NO showed 29% and 88% higher mean values in the C5 group and 49% and 24% higher in the C10 group than those in the HL group, respectively. These results suggest that freeze-dried cranberry powder may have beneficial effects on cardiovascular diseases by modifying serum lipids and the early inflammatory response.

This study was done to investigate the relationship between the perception of body image, body weight satisfaction or dietary behavior and self-rated health status in Korean college students. Subjects, 285 college students, were divided into three groups (healthy, normal, and unhealthy) according to the answer for the self-rated health question. Information about demographic status, self-rated health condition, height and weight, perception of body image, satisfaction of body weight, concern for body weight control, dietary behavior, nutritional knowledge, and health-related characteristics collected by a self-reported questionnaire. The proportion of men and women in each group was not significantly different. The academic year, major, experience of nutritional education, and type of residence were not significantly related with self-rated health but the pocket money range was significantly associated (p