There is growing evidence for a global transition to a more highly processed diet. While the dietary share of ultra-processed foods depends on a country’s economic status, food choice and consumption are also influenced by the socioeconomic situation of individuals. This study investigated whether ultra-processed food consumption differed across socioeconomic subgroups and over time (2010–2018) in Korea. Cross-sectional data from the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2010–2018 were analyzed. Food and beverages reported in a one-day 24 h recall were classified according to the NOVA food classification criteria. The dietary energy contribution of ultra-processed foods was high among men and urban residents, and increased with education and income level; additionally, it reached its peak in adolescents and thereafter decreased with increasing age. After adjusting the socioeconomic variables, such associations remained significant, except for income level. The overall contribution of ultra-processed foods increased from 23.1% (2010–2012) to 26.1% (2016–2018), and the same trend over time was observed in all age groups and socioeconomic strata. In the Korean population, ultra-processed food consumption differed by individual socioeconomic characteristics, but gradually increased over time, and this trend was consistently found in all socioeconomic subgroups. Future strategies to promote healthy food choices are needed for the Korean population.

Korean Circulation Journal 대한심장학회지 순환기 Arafa A, et al. Korean Circ J. 2021 Aug;51(8):643-655. https://doi.org/10.4070/kcj.2021.0121

Korean Circulation Journal 대한심장학회지 순환기 Shim SY, et al. Korean Circ J. 2022 Jan;52(1):60-70. https://doi.org/10.4070/kcj.2021.0228

Digital health interventions are increasingly used to promote behaviour change in adolescents. The Living Lab approach, fostering collaboration with users and stakeholders to identify real-life problems and co-create sustainable solutions, is gaining traction in health interventions. This study aimed to evaluate the usability of a novel Digital-based Living Lab (D-LLab) designed to promote healthy dietary behaviour in adolescents. The D-LLab was developed in four phases: topic derivation, strategy selection, digital tool selection, and usability assessment. It was implemented over a 4-week period, structured into four participatory phases: identifying problems, exploring solutions, solving problems, and sharing outcomes. Twenty-one adolescents aged 14–16 from one middle school enrolled, with a balanced sample of racial and ethnic adolescents, and native Koreans. Usability was evaluated using a mixed methods approach, incorporating quantitative indicators—appropriateness (system usability scale, SUS), acceptability (satisfaction), and feasibility (completion rate)—alongside qualitative data on participant experiences. The mean SUS score was 70.75, exceeding the benchmark for acceptable usability. Participants rated high satisfaction (mean score: 8.45/10), and 95.2% completed all sessions. High usability appeared to be driven by real-time information sharing and collaborative digital interaction, which supported spontaneous problem solving around dietary issues. The D-LLab demonstrated acceptable usability and strong participant engagement. These findings highlight the feasibility of applying digital-based Living Lab approaches in school settings, warranting further trials to evaluate long-term behavioural impact across diverse populations. This intervention was registered at cris.nih.go.kr as KCT0007004.

The association between cardiovascular risk factors and nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is well established, but whether cardiovascular health (CVH) metrics is associated with NAFLD had not been fully studied. Thus, we examined the association between CVH metrics and NAFLD in the middle-aged Korean population. We used data of 2,928 (851 men and 2,077 women) participants aged 30–64 years from the Cardiovascular and Metabolic Disease Etiology Research Center study. CVH metrics were measured using a modified version of Life’s Simple 7 by the American Heart Association. NAFLD diagnosis was based on the fatty liver index or liver-to-spleen ratio on computed tomography. A multiple logistic regression model was used to investigate the cross-sectional and longitudinal associations between CVH metrics and NAFLD. In the cross-sectional analysis, the odds ratio for NAFLD was lower in participants with ideal CVH (odds ratio [OR], 0.13; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.08–0.18), while it was higher in individuals with poor CVH (OR, 2.87; 95% CI, 2.13–3.86). Similarly, the risk of new-onset NAFLD was lower in participants with ideal CVH (OR, 0.28; 95% CI, 0.11–0.74), and higher in individuals with poor CVH (OR, 2.20; 95% CI, 0.50–9.72) in the longitudinal analysis of a subgroup. Ideal CVH was associated with a lower risk of NAFLD while poor CVH was associated with a higher risk of NAFLD. These findings suggest that making efforts to encourage people to manage their CVH to the ideal level may prevent and manage NAFLD.

OBJECTIVES: Diabetes is a well-known risk factor for atherosclerosis, but the association between a family history of diabetes and atherosclerosis remains unknown. In this study, we assessed the association between a family history of diabetes and increased carotid intima-media thickness (IMT), a marker of subclinical atherosclerosis, in a middle-aged Korean population.METHODS: This cross-sectional study included 3,974 community-dwelling adults (1,404 male and 2,570 female) aged 30-64 years from the Cardiovascular and Metabolic Diseases Etiology Research Center cohort. The presence of a family history of diabetes was assessed through face-to-face interviews using a standardized questionnaire. Carotid IMT was assessed using B-mode ultrasonography, and increased IMT was defined as a value in the top quartile of the IMT values of all participants. Multivariate logistic regression was used to evaluate independent associations between a family history of diabetes and increased IMT.RESULTS: A family history of diabetes was significantly associated with increased carotid IMT (odds ratio, 1.23; 95% confidence interval, 1.03 to 1.48) after adjusting for sex; age; body mass index; systolic blood pressure; total cholesterol, triglyceride, and hemoglobin A1c levels; smoking; alcohol consumption; exercise; use of antidiabetic, antihypertensive, and antilipidemic drugs; and a family history of hypertension. The positive association remained significant after excluding participants with diabetes (odds ratio, 1.21; 95% confidence interval, 1.00 to 1.47).CONCLUSIONS: A family history of diabetes was positively associated with increased carotid IMT, even in participants without diabetes. Therefore, information on a family history of diabetes may help identify individuals at high risk of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease.