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This study aimed to identify differences in sports participation and sports safety awareness based on the severity of an injury experienced among Korean men. To achieve this, the data of 1484 men were extracted from the 2019 Sports Safety Accident Survey conducted by the Korea Sports Safety Foundation. We used data on the characteristics of the study population, variables related to sports participation (exercise frequency, duration, the use of dedicated sports facilities and the duration of injury treatment), and variables related to sports safety awareness (the awareness of sports safety rules, perceived importance of sports safety, completion of injury prevention training, and purchase of insurance with injury coverage). The collected data were analyzed using frequency analysis, one-way analysis of variance and Tukey’s test (post-hoc test). The results showed that no differences existed in exercise frequency and duration depending on the severity of the injury experienced (p > 0.05), but there were differences in the use of dedicated sports facilities (p = 0.010) and the duration of injury treatment (p < 0.001). The results also showed that there were differences in the awareness of sports safety rules (p = 0.004), perceived importance of sports safety (p < 0.001), completion of injury prevention training (p < 0.001), and purchase of insurance with injury coverage (p < 0.001). Overall, the results showed that the severity of the injury experienced affects sports safety awareness among men who have experienced injuries. There is a need to provide education on sports safety and implement programs on sports injuries and sports safety to increase awareness of sports safety, especially among men who have not experienced a sports injury.

The purpose of this study is to examine the effects of moderate-intensity physical activity on obesity prevention, stress, smoking, and alcohol consumption among unmarried Korean men. Such a study is necessary since it seeks to understand the health behavior of unmarried Korean men and suggests the right direction for health management. In particular, this study investigated the association of the frequency of participation in moderate-intensity physical activity with lifestyle variables, such as body mass index (BMI), perceived stress, smoking and alcohol consumption, among unmarried men in the Republic of Korea. To this end, a second cross-sectional study was conducted by collecting data from unmarried men in Korea who participated in the 2022 Korea Community Health Survey. The data was then analyzed using SPSS for Windows (version 23.0; IBM Corp., Armonk, NY, USA) for frequency analysis, chi-square test, and multivariate logistic regression analysis. The findings revealed that a majority of unmarried Korean men do not participate in moderate-intensity physical activity. Unmarried men were also more likely to have moderate, overweight, and obese BMIs than those who did not engage in moderate-intensity physical activity. Conversely, the likelihood of smoking and drinking alcohol decreased with an increase in the number of days they engaged in physical activity. These findings highlight the importance of creating a social environment that encourages unmarried men to participate in moderate-intensity physical activity. The results of this study can be used to develop health management strategies and health-related policies for unmarried men in the Republic of Korea.

OBJECTIVES Obese people have lower cardiorespiratory fitness and lower maximum oxygen intake during exercise than the healthy population; however, no research has examined the differences between the healthy and obese groups in the recovery period immediately after maximum capacity exercise. Therefore, this study aimed to compare the differences in maximal oxygen consumption, respiratory quotient, ventilatory threshold, heart rate, and energy expenditure according to recovery time for 30 min immediately after measuring maximum capacity exercise based on body mass index (BMI), and to determine the difference in recovery ability between healthy and obese groups. METHODS This study included 24 male college students from K University in Chungcheongbuk-do, Republic of Korea, in April 2024. Participants with a body mass index less than 25 kg/m2 were classified into the healthy group (n=14), and those with a body mass index of 25 kg/m2 or higher were classified into the obese group (n=10). After the graded exercise test (maximum capacity exercise), maximal oxygen consumption, respiratory quotient, ventilatory threshold, heart rate, and energy expenditure were measured in real time for a total of 30 minutes in 5-minute increments, including the VO2 max reach time (recovery 0 min). An independent t-test was performed to determine the differences between groups, and the significance level was set at p0.05). There were no statistically significant differences in the respiratory quotient, ventilatory threshold, or energy consumption between the healthy and obese groups at any time point (p>0.05). Additionally, there was no statistically significant difference in heart rate between the healthy and obese groups at any time point (p>0.05), except for a significant difference (p

OBJECTIVES In the modern era, there is heightened interest in understanding energy expenditure during exercise. Consequently, wearable devices such as the Galaxy Watch and Apple Watch have emerged as pivotal tools for daily health monitoring, given their convenience and increasing popularity. This study aimed to compare the calculated energy expenditure derived from the graded exercise test with readings from Galaxy and Apple Watches during a 30-min exercise session among Korean university students. Through this, we anticipate offering both motivation and clear insights into energy expenditure, thereby potentially aiding in weight management strategies for contemporary individuals. METHODS This study involved 27 college students from Korea National University of Transportation in Chungcheongbuk-do, Korea. We utilized COSMED's exercise load respiratory gas analysis system (Quark-CPET, COSMED, Rome, Italy), along with the Galaxy Watch (Galaxy Watch 5, Samsung, Seoul, Korea) and the Apple Watch (Apple watch series 5, Apple, Cupertino, USA) for measurements. Energy expenditure was monitored in real-time every 5 min throughout the 30-min exercise session. For statistical evaluations, we employed a one-way analysis of variance. Subsequent post-tests utilized the Tukey post-hoc test and Pearson correlation, with a significance level set at p0.05). Conversely, a notable difference was observed when comparing energy expenditure data from the graded exercise test to that of the Apple Watch for time intervals of 10, 15, 20, 25, and 30 min (p>0.05), although the 5-min interval did not exhibit a significant difference (p>0.05). Furthermore, a robust positive correlation was evident between the energy expenditure values derived from the graded exercise test and those from both the Galaxy Watch (r=0.952, p

Smoking is a major global health issue that contributes to various chronic diseases, while hypertension and obesity are considered significant health concerns due to their associated complications, such as cardiovascular diseases and metabolic disorders. In this study, we investigated the associations between current smoking status, hypertension, and obesity among the Korean population, excluding individuals with high blood pressure (systolic blood pressure ≥ 160 mmHg or diastolic blood pressure ≥ 100 mmHg) and those taking antihypertensive medications. Data from the 2015 Korea National Fitness Assessment, encompassing 3457 individuals, were analyzed. Logistic regression analysis was used to examine the effects of current smoking and other variables on hypertension and obesity. The results showed that, among the population that excludes specific hypertension criteria, current smoking status was not significantly associated with hypertension or obesity. However, sex and body mass index were significantly associated with hypertension, and age, sex, and blood pressure were significantly associated with obesity. Future research should utilize larger sample sizes and longitudinal designs to confirm these findings and include a broader range of hypertensive participants to better control for potential confounding variables.

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has prompted the implementation of social distancing policies worldwide, limiting participation in exercise and substantially impacting health behaviors. In accordance with the theory of planned behavior (TPB), the present study aimed to develop a model for predicting the intent to participate in exercise and engage in health behaviors among Korean men using the perception of COVID-19 risk as an exogenous variable. We analyzed data obtained from 374 Korean men who had completed a 32-item, online questionnaire. Structural equation modeling was performed to evaluate the effect of attitudes, subjective norms, and perceived behavioral control (PBC) on the intention to participate in exercise and health behaviors using COVID-19 risk perception as an antecedent variable. COVID-19 risk perception exerted significant negative effects on the attitude toward exercise participation (β = −0.857, p < 0.001), subjective norms associated with exercise participation (β = −0.862, p < 0.001), and PBC related to exercise (β = −0.738, p < 0.001). In addition, both attitude (β = 0.213, p < 0.001) and subjective norms (β = 0.168, p = 0.001) exerted significant effects on the intention to participate in exercise. PBC also exerted significant effects on the intention to participate in exercise (β = 0.580, p < 0.001) and health behaviors (β = 0.461, p < 0.001). Lastly, the intention to participate in exercise exerted a significant effect on health behaviors (β = 0.400, p < 0.001). The data indicated that, among TPB variables, PBC exerted the greatest influence on the intention to participate in exercise and had a significant effect on engagement in health behaviors. The current findings support TPB as an important theoretical model for predicting the intention to participate in exercise and patterns of health behavior among Korean men during the COVID-19 pandemic. Our study also highlights the importance of addressing PBC when designing interventions to promote exercise participation and health behaviors among Korean men.

Background: Perceived psychological stress and exercise are bidirectionally related, and the effects of exercise on stress relief are well documented. However, research on the influence of stress on exercise remains scarce. This study examined the association between perceived psychological stress and exercise participation among Korean adults and older adults as well as the relationship between exercise frequency and perceived stress. Methods: Data on 3440 participants (2813 adults aged 19–64 and 627 older adults aged 65 or more) were collected from the Survey of National Physical Fitness conducted by the Korea Institute of Sport Science and the Korean Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism in 2015. We compared the participants’ health-related behaviors, including exercise, regular breakfast consumption, and smoking, according to their perceived psychological stress levels. Results: Those who perceived a higher level of psychological stress reported lower levels of exercise participation, regular breakfast consumption, and smoking, with the exception of older male participants. The study also found that a higher frequency of exercise participation corresponded with a lower perceived level of psychological stress (β = −0.080, p < 0.001) and that engaging in physical activity even once a week yields a substantial reduction in stress levels. Conclusions: In a large sample of Koreans, high levels of perceived psychological stress were significantly associated with less physical activity and infrequent weekly exercise. This study found a dose–response relationship between exercise frequency and reduced stress and suggested that psychological stress should be considered crucial in promoting physical activity.

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This study aimed to verify the relationship between ideal sleep duration and physical fitness in South Korean adults and older adults. The secondary analysis data of 2,832 adults (19–64 years) and 629 older adults (65 years and above), obtained from the 2015 National Fitness Survey, were analyzed. Participants completed various physical fitness tests (grip strength, sit-ups, standing long jump, 50 m dash, sit-and-reach, and 20 m shuttle run in adults; grip strength, sit-up, sit-to-stand, sit-and-reach, back-scratch, one-leg standing test, and 6-minute walk in older adults) and were divided into four groups based on self-reported sleep duration. Group differences in physical fitness variables were analyzed with one-way analysis of variance, and Pearson’s correlation was used to verify the relationship between sleep duration and physical fitness; statistical significance was set at p .05). Further, across the sample, there were no significant group differences in physical fitness variables. A positive correlation exists between sleep duration and muscular strength in adult males and a negative correlation between sleep duration and cardiorespiratory endurance in adult females. Designing sleep and exercise programs based on these results may improve physical fitness among adults and older adults. Future studies that include controlled variables that affect physical fitness and sleep patterns are warranted.

Objectives: The Republic of Korea is progressively becoming a super-aged society, emphasizing the need for regular physical activity among older adults because it has physical, psychological, and social benefits. Recently, increasing depression and suicide rates have been reported among older adults living alone. However, research that considers older adults' living situations is limited. Therefore, this study aimed to analyze the relationship between health-promoting behaviors (HPB), physical self-efficacy (PSE), exercise adherence, and sports commitment among older adults aged ≥ 65 years who participated in sports activities and investigate the influence of their living situation. Methods: The participants were 452 individuals aged ≥ 65 who lived in the metropolitan areas of Chungcheong-do, Jeolla-do, and Gwangju Provinces, Republic of Korea, and who regularly participated in sports activities (men = 283, women = 169). This study was conducted from January to May 2024. Data were collected using a structured and validated questionnaire, and the collected data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, correlation analysis, structural equation modeling, and multi-group analysis. Results: Structural equation modeling showed that the research model was appropriate, and all five paths showed statistical significance. The identity of the model was verified in the multi-group analysis, but path coefficients differed between older adults living alone and those living with family members. HPB significantly affected PSE, exercise adherence, and sports commitment among both groups of older adults. However, the impact of PSE on exercise adherence and sports commitment was not statistically significant among older adults living alone. Conclusions: The results highlight the need to consider older adults' living situations when establishing regular physical activity. Efforts should also be made to promote regular exercise participation among older adults living alone. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: As the Republic of Korea transitions towards a super-aged society, the health and mental well-being of older adults are emerging as critical issues. While many researchers are focusing on successful aging among older adults who participate in exercise, there is a research gap in the Korean literature regarding the preconditions that foster this outcome. Therefore, this study analyzed the relationship between satisfaction and exercise, physical self-efficacy (PSE), exercise adherence, and successful aging among Korean older adults who exercise regularly. Methods: The participants were 369 (234 male and 135 female) older adults aged 65 or older living in the Republic of Korea, with an average age of 69.91 years. Data were collected from March 2024 to June 2024 and analyzed using descriptive statistics, correlation analysis, and structural equation modeling. Results: There was no problem with the model fit. Satisfaction with exercise positively affected PSE (β = 0.317, p < 0.001), exercise adherence (β = 0.487, p < 0.001), and successful aging (β = 0.669, p < 0.001). PSE positively affected exercise adherence (β = 0.356, p < 0.001), and exercise adherence positively affected successful aging (β = 0.190, p < 0.05). Furthermore, PSE (β = 0.019, p < 0.01) and exercise adherence (β = 0.081, p < 0.05) mediated the relationship between satisfaction with exercise and successful aging. Conclusions: Satisfaction with exercise is important for promoting successful aging among Korean older adults who exercise. Satisfaction with exercise can increase their efficacy for performing physical activities and encourage them to continue exercising. This can ultimately lead to a happy life in old age. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The concentration of atmospheric CO2 is increasing largely owing to human activities. Although it is well established that elevated CO2 (eCO2) stimulates plant growth and primary productivity, the effect of eCO2 on soil microbial communities remains poorly understood. In this study, we aimed to examine the effects of eCO2 on the taxonomical diversity, composition, and structure of rhizosphere microbial communities of Korean red pine (Pinus densiflora) through next-generation sequencing (NGS) of 16S rRNA genes. Three bacterial phyla, Proteobacteria, Acidobacteria, and Actinobacteria, were found to be dominant in all samples. Species richness estimates (Chao1 and ACE) and diversity indices (Shannon and Simpson) for the three sampling chambers were the highest from the eCO2 (approximately 1.4× ambient, ≈ 560 ppm). These findings suggested that elevated atmospheric CO2 affected the bacterial community composition in the rhizosphere of Korean red pine (Pinus densiflora).

Background and objective: This study aimed to investigate the changes and trends in various measures of physique and physical fitness in Korean adults from 2009 to 2017. Material and methods: The physique and physical fitness levels of 19,415 Korean adults aged 20-69 years were investigated using data from the Survey of National Physical Fitness conducted by the Korea Institute of Sport Science. Physical fitness variables included muscular strength (grip strength), muscular endurance (sit-up exercise), power (standing long jump), cardiovascular endurance (20-m shuttle run), and flexibility (sit and reach exercise). Differences between physique and physical fitness variables were evaluated using Pearson’s correlation coefficient. Results were expressed as an intensification factor. Results: A significant relationship was identified between physique and physical fitness variables (P < 0.05), excluding power and flexibility (r = -0.003, P = 0.683). Height and weight increased in men and women in all age groups except those in the age group of 60-69 years; in this age group, a decrease in height was observed in men, and a decrease in weight was observed in both sexes. Men aged 40-49 years and women aged 20-29 years demonstrated a rapid increase in body mass index (BMI). Muscular strength decreased dramatically in both sexes from the age of 40 years. Muscular endurance increased within each age group, most significantly in men aged 60-69 years (32.01%) and women aged 50-59 years (21.0%). However, absolute muscular endurance decreased with age. Power increased significantly in men aged 60-69 years (5.61%) and women aged 20-29 years (2.60%), but decreased in men aged 40-49 years (-2.84%) and women aged 60-69 years (-1.89%). Cardiovascular endurance decreased after the age of 30 years in both sexes, with maximum decrease in men aged 40-49 years (-0.77%) and women aged 60-69 years (-9.33%). Flexibility decreased from the age of 30 years in both sexes: men aged 20-29 years (-24.25%) and women aged 30-39 years (-6.60%) showed the maximum decrease. Conclusion: Overall, the following trends were found: BMI increase is likely to occur in men in their 30s and 40s and women in their 60s; muscular strength rapidly decreases in men and women in their 40s; muscular endurance increases over time in men compared to that in women; power reinforcement exercise is necessary for both men and women in their 40s to overcome decreased power; cardiorespiratory endurance largely decreases during the 20s; and flexibility tends to decrease largely in men from the 20s to 40s. There is a correlation between physique and physical fitness in Korean adults. Moreover, the physical fitness level decreases with age. Regular exercise is recommended to improve physical fitness and prevent aging.

Background and objective: Managing the decrease in physical function in the elderly is a major task in aging societies globally. Here, we aimed to compare the physical function and metabolic syndrome (MetS) risk factors according to levels of physical activity (PA). Material and methods: We measured PA in 77 elderly Korean men (74.21 ± 6.26 years old) with an accelerometer and recorded body composition, physical function, and MetS-related risk factors. Participants were divided into three groups based on daily moderate-vigorous physical activity (MVPA): low (under 60 min), middle (60-120 min), and high (over 120 min). The groups were compared using a one-way analysis of variance and the Scheffe post hoc test. Odds ratios (OR) were calculated by logistic regression analysis. Results: Significant differences were found between the groups for sedentary behavior time (P < 0.001), light PA (P < 0.05), moderate PA (P < 0.001), vigorous PA (P < 0.05), and total energy expenditure (P < 0.001). The high PA group showed a significantly lower percentage of body fat and fat mass and higher muscle mass than did the low and middle PA groups (P < 0.05). The 6-min walk test was significantly better in the high PA group than in the low and middle PA groups (P < 0.05). Grip strength and the Berg balance scale were also significantly better in the high PA group (P < 0.05). Bone mineral density (BMD) and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) were significantly higher in the high PA group than in the low PA group (P < 0.05). Systolic blood pressure (SBP) was significantly higher in the middle PA group than in the low PA group (P < 0.05). Participants with more than three MetS criteria showed an OR of 0.09 (95% confidence interval 0.01-0.82) in the high PA group as compared with the low PA group (P < 0.05). Conclusions: Moderate-vigorous physical activity of more than 120 min daily showed better physical function and lower OR of MetS than did lower MVPA levels in elderly Korean men.

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The growth of children and adolescents is both an important health indicator and a major public health issue. Many recent studies have investigated the effects of taekwondo on growth factors, but no consensus has yet been reached. This meta-analysis aimed to determine the effects of taekwondo on the growth factors in children and adolescents (aged 8 to 16 years). Randomized controlled trials from PubMed, Web of Science, Cochrane Library, the Research Information Sharing Service, the Korea Citation Index, and the Korean-studies Information Service System were analyzed. The effect sizes (standardized mean differences, SMD) were calculated, the risk of bias and publication bias were assessed, and the effect size and subgroup analyses were pooled. We found that the taekwondo group had significantly higher levels of growth hormones (SMD 1.78, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.98–2.58, and p < 0.001) and insulin-like growth factors (SMD 1.76, 95% CI 0.60–2.92, and p < 0.001) than the control group. For height, a medium effect size was observed (SMD 0.62, 95% CI −0.56–1.80, and p = 0.300), but the between-group difference was not significant. Thus, taekwondo had significant positive effects on the secretion of growth hormones and insulin-like growth factors in Korean children and adolescents. A longitudinal follow-up is necessary to determine the effect on height. This suggests that taekwondo can be recommended as an appropriate physical exercise for maintaining normal growth in children and adolescents.

To date, we found no published reports on the effects of metabolic syndrome and physical activity levels on left ventricular (LV) diastolic function in elderly women aged over 65 years. Our study involved patients with echocardiographically normal LV ejection fractions (≥50%) and normal LV dilatation diameters (≤55 mm). Elderly women with metabolic syndrome (n = 20) and healthy elderly women (n = 17) were selected and assessed with the National Cholesterol Education Program Adult Treatment Panel III, a metabolic syndrome diagnostic instrument. We compared the LV function indices and physical activity levels according to the presence (metabolic syndrome group) or absence (normal group) of metabolic syndrome. The LV end-systolic (LVES) diameter was significantly smaller (p = 0.037) and LV outflow tract (LVOT) diameter was significantly larger (p = 0.030) in the metabolic syndrome group. The left arterial dimension at end-systole (p = 0.024), left arterial volume (LAV) index (p = 0.015), early peak mitral inflow velocity (E, p = 0.031), early diastolic mitral annulus motion velocity (Eʹ-septal, p = 0.044), (Eʹ-lateral, p = 0.008), and E/late peak mitral inflow velocity ratio (E/A, p = 0.006) values were significantly lower and physical activity levels (p = 0.034) were significantly higher in the metabolic syndrome group. These results indicated that the metabolic syndrome group had relatively high physical activity levels compared to the normal group, which may have positively affected the LVES, LVOT, left atrial volume index, E, Eʹ, and E/A values.

A Bankart lesion is a common traumatic sports injury of the glenohumeral joint. When the shoulder is dislocated, the connective tissue surrounding the joint may tear or rupture. This study aimed to describe the initial dislocation, treatment, medical treatment, rehabilitation outcomes at 3 and 8 months, and return to daily life for three patients. Patient 1 was a 28-year-old male office worker who enjoyed fitness and weight training. His injury was sustained by a fall from his bicycle and subsequent performance of pull-up exercises. Surgery was recommended for repair of the anterior and inferior labrum tear. Reassessment of the surgery was performed after 2 months of rehabilitation. The patient was asked to exercise once a week at a rehabilitation center and to perform home-based exercises. In the first 2 months, the main exercise consisted of range of motion (ROM) exercises and stretching. Thereafter, muscle strengthening, using tubing, equipment and body weight exercises, and proprioceptive exercises were performed to gradually improve muscle strength and for return to daily activities. ROM progressively increased, with recovery of normal range at 2 months post-surgery. However, pain decreased only slightly, with a visual analog score of 6 out of 10 at 2 months post-surgery. At 8 months, the pain was bearable, without causing discomfort. Muscle strength remained almost unchanged initially but gradually recovered, although with a residual deficit of 20–30% in flexion, adduction and internal rotation. Considering the prolonged rehabilitation after surgery, future studies are warranted to analyze the long-term effects of non-surgical therapies by accumulating more cases and developing effective exercise rehabilitation programs.

Background: Taekkyeon is designated as Korea’s Important Intangible Cultural Property No. 76 and listed as a UNESCO intangible cultural heritage. This study aimed to analyze the exercise intensity of Taekkyeon, with a focus on Honjayikhigi (“the movements for practice on their own while moving or in place; the basic movements of Taekkyeon”), Bondaeboegi (“the method of practicing movements that harmoniously connect Taekkyeon’s offense and defense movements”), and Majumegigi (“the method of practicing hand and kick movements for offense”) training movements, which are components of Taekkyeon. Methods: Eleven Taekkyeon instructors were included in this study. The performance of Taekkyeon movements was assessed at Dongguk University in March 2022. During Honjayikhigi, Bondaeboegi, and Majumegigi training movements, heart rates were measured using a polar monitor. For all variables, the means and standard deviations were calculated using descriptive statistics, and a paired sample t-test was used to compare the heart rates among Honjayikhigi, Bondaeboegi, and Majumegigi training movements. Statistical significance was set at α = 0.05. Results: The average heart rates during Honjayikhigi, Bondaeboegi, and Majumegigi training movements were 131.42 ± 8.85, 128.53 ± 8.43, and 126.34 ± 9.26 beats/min, respectively. The exercise intensity of Honjayikhigi was significantly higher than that of Majumegigi (p = 0.200). In Honjayikhigi, the exercise intensities of Naagamyoegigi (p = 0.007) and Mannajungikhigi (p = 0.017) were significantly higher than that of Seoseoikhigi. In Bondaeboegi, the exercise intensities of Apaugery Yeodulmadang and Diaugery Nemadang were not significantly different. In Majumegigi, the exercise intensities of Ikhimsu (p < 0.001) and Majuchagi (p < 0.001) were higher than that of Majugeori, whereas those of Ikhimsu (p = 0.003) and Majuchagi (p < 0.001) were higher than that of Maguemgil. The exercise intensities of Ikhimsu (p = 0.001) and Majuchagi (p < 0.001) were higher than that of Allermegigi. Conclusions: Adjusting the training sequence and duration according to Taekkyeon level must be considered when establishing a training program because of the apparent differences in exercise intensity among the training movements. Our findings suggest that a greater training efficacy can be achieved if training levels in each Taekkyeon movement are properly classified and customized for beginners.

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Background: This cross-sectional epidemiological study aimed to compare the differences in physical fitness variables according to the skinfold thickness in the thigh area in adults and Korean older individuals. Methods: We analyzed data from the 2015 National Fitness Survey. A total of 4034 healthy adults (2442 men, 1592 women) with an average age of 38.19 ± 12.41 years and 880 healthy older subjects (369 men, 511 women) with an average age of 72.32 ± 5.49 years participated in this study. The skinfold thickness of the thigh was measured using a skinfold caliper (Dynatron, Dynatronics, USA). The participants underwent physical fitness tests, including the hand squeeze strength test, abdominal curl ups, standing double-leg long jump, 50 m shuttle run, sit and reach, and 20 m shuttle run for adult men and women. Older men and women performed the following tests: hand squeeze strength, abdominal curl ups, sit to stand test, single leg balance (open eyes), sit and reach, Apley scratch test for shoulder mobility, and 6-minute walk test. Independent t-tests and Pearson correlation analyses were used for the analysis. Results: Among the older men, significant differences were found in thigh skinfold thickness (t = –21.122, p < 0.001), abdominal curl ups (t = 2.165, p = 0.031), and sit and reach in men (t = 2.609, p = 0.009), and thigh skinfold (t = –29.611, p < 0.001), and Apley scratch test for shoulder mobility in women (t = –2.120, p = 0.034). There was a significant correlation between thigh skinfold thickness and physical activity (thigh skinfold thickness) in adult men (t = –54.202, p < 0.001), nondominant hand squeeze strength (t = 2.632, p = 0.009), abdominal curl ups (t = 4.292, p < 0.001), sit and reach (t = 3.063, p = 0.002), twenty meters shuttle run (t = 4.657, p < 0.001). However, no significant differences were found in dominant hand squeeze strength, standing double leg long jump, or 50 m shuttle run in men (p < 0.05). In adult women, there was a significant correlation between thigh skinfold thickness and physical activity (thigh skinfold thickness (t = –49.405, p < 0.001), dominant hand squeeze strength (t = 7.789, p < 0.001), nondominant hand squeeze strength (t = 6.944, p < 0.001), abdominal curl ups (t = 5.347, p < 0.001), standing double leg long jump (t = 5.890, p < 0.001), sit and reach (t = 5.384, p < 0.001), twenty meter shuttle run (t = 5.223, p < 0.001). However, no significant differences were found in fifty meter shuttle run in women (p < 0.05). Among older men, only single leg balance and sit and reach were correlated with thigh skinfold (single leg balance r = 0.169, p = 0.01; sit and reach r = –0.201, p = 0.001). In women, only abdominal curl ups, sit and reach, and Apley scratch test correlated with thigh skinfold (abdominal curl ups r = –0.088, p = 0.002; sit and reach r = –0.137, p = 0.002; Apley scratch test r = 0.090, p = 0.041). Conclusions: The effect of thigh skinfold thickness on the level of physical activity was more pronounced in adults than in older subjects. Our findings show that muscle strength and body fat in the lower extremities can affect overall muscle strength, endurance, and balance.

Background: Recreational drug abuse control has long been a major goal of global health and social welfare organizations. Objective: The purpose of this study was to examine the possible associations between recreational drug abuse and Korean adolescents' school records. Methods: In 2012, 74,186 seventh- through twelfth-grade students participated in the Eighth Korea Youth Risk Behavior Web-based Survey. Associations between recreational drug abuse and school records were assessed using multivariate logistic regression analysis after adjusting for the covariates of age, body mass index, frequency of smoking, frequency of alcohol consumption, frequency of breakfast consumption, parents' educational levels, family economic status, mental stress, physical activity frequency, and participation in muscular strength exercises. Results: The odds ratios (with 95% confidence intervals) for males who had used or were using recreational drugs and who had achieved average or higher than average school achievement according to their records, compared to males who had never used recreational drugs, were as follows: "almost never," 1.026 (0.777-1.354; p = 0.858); "past use but no current use," 0.990 (0.568-1.727; p = 0.972); and "currently using," 0.732 (0.424-1.263; p = 0.262). The odds ratios (with 95% confidence intervals) for females were as follows: "almost never," 0.804 (0.560-1.153; p = 0.235); "past use but no current use," 0.771 (0.448-1.326; p = 0.347); and "currently using," 0.932 (0.276-3.148; p = 0.910). Conclusions: Recreational drug abuse was associated neither positively nor negatively with Korean adolescents' school records.

The population of older adults is increasing more rapidly in Korea than in any other country, making successful aging a salient need in Korean society. For successful aging, older adults must engage in sports activities regularly. This study determined the relationships among health beliefs, exercise adherence intention, health promotion behavior, and successful aging among older adults who engage in sports activities regularly. The participants were 287 adults aged 65 years or older who live in Korea and exercise regularly. Data were collected through a survey and analyzed using descriptive statistics, correlation analysis, and structural equation modeling. The integrated model lacked explanatory power in terms of goodness of fit, but the alternative model had sufficient explanatory power. The alternative model showed that health beliefs, exercise adherence intention, and health promotion behavior are significantly related and that health promotion behavior positively predicts successful aging. It also showed that health beliefs affect successful aging through the mediation of exercise adherence intention and health promotion behavior. This study is meaningful because it verifies the structural and theoretical relationships among health beliefs, exercise adherence intention, health promotion behavior, and successful aging. As a result, it provides information that can improve the welfare of older adults in Korean society. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]