Abnormalities in the clinical markers of metabolic syndrome (MS) are associated with the development of cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes mellitus, and some cancers. MS prevalence in Korea increased between the mid-1990s and mid-2000s; however, no data on the recent trends of MS prevalence are available. Thus, we aimed to investigate the prevalence of MS, the five components of MS, and the related risk factors in Korean adults by using recent data. Data from the Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey conducted between 2008 and 2013 were used. The revised National Cholesterol Education Program criteria were used for defining MS. A multivariate logistic regression analyses was used to estimate the relationship between the related risk factors including behaviors, dietary factors, and the prevalence of MS. A total of 34,587 men and women were included in the analysis. Age-adjusted prevalence of MS in 2013 was 28.9% without a significant increasing or decreasing trend between 2008 and 2013. Among the five components of MS, abdominal obesity decreased in both men and women (annual percent change: −2.0 and −2.5%, respectively), the decrease being significant only in women, whereas blood pressure and blood glucose significantly increased in men (+1.9 and +2.7%, respectively). Age and obesity (odds ratio = 6.7, 95% confidence interval = 5.9–7.5 for body mass index ≥25 kg/m2 vs. body mass index <25 kg/m2) were associated with increased MS risk in both men and women. Smoking and alcohol drinking were significantly associated with increased MS risk in men, and association between MS and vitamin D deficiency was at the edge of statistical significance. Higher education and income level were significantly associated with decreased MS risk in women. During this period, smoking rate and physical activity, sodium intake, and serum vitamin D level significantly decreased. Education level, calorie intake, and intake of carbohydrate, fat, protein and calcium significantly increased. Several factors contribute to the stable MS prevalence—on the one hand, increased prevalence of high blood sugar, high blood pressure, calorie intake, and physical inactivity, and on the other hand, decreased prevalence of abdominal obesity and smoking. Lifestyle interventions to prevent and control non-communicable diseases should be implemented at the national level to reduce the burden of MS.

BackgroundThe relationship between temperature and mortality has been found to be U-, V-, or J-shaped in developed temperate countries; however, in developing tropical/subtropical cities, it remains unclear.ObjectivesOur goal was to investigate the relationship between temperature and mortality in Hue, a subtropical city in Viet Nam.DesignWe collected daily mortality data from the Vietnamese A6 mortality reporting system for 6,214 deceased persons between 2009 and 2013. A distributed lag non-linear model was used to examine the temperature effects on all-cause and cause-specific mortality by assuming negative binomial distribution for count data. We developed an objective-oriented model selection with four steps following the Akaike information criterion (AIC) rule (i.e. a smaller AIC value indicates a better model).ResultsHigh temperature-related mortality was more strongly associated with short lags, whereas low temperature-related mortality was more strongly associated with long lags. The low temperatu...

We analyzed data from the Korean Youth Risk Behavior Web-based Survey (N = 68 043), a nationally representative survey, to examine the association between early initiation of smoking, alcohol drinking, and sexual activity and socioeconomic determinants among adolescents. The prevalence rates of early initiation of smoking (i.e, starting at age 12 years or younger), alcohol drinking, and sexual activity were 4.8%, 10.3%, and 1.4%, respectively. Adolescents with a low level of perceived household income, low level of father’s education, and those living without family were more likely to start these risky behaviors early. Early initiation of smoking was significantly affected by affordability.

Background: Psychometric properties are regarded as one of the significant contributors related to diabetes treatment efficacy. Diabetes-related distress (DD) is one of the emotional burdens. The aims of this study were to investigate the prevalence of DD and to determine its associated factors among Vietnamese diabetic patients. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted at a single medical center in the central of Vietnam. A total of 138 eligible DM outpatients were invited and a total of 112 patients who completed the questionnaire were utilized in this analysis using convenience sampling. DD was assessed using the diabetes distress scale (DDS). The participant’s sociodemographic and clinical information was obtained through face-to-face interviews and medical records. Multivariate logistic regression was used to determine independent factors associated with the presence of DD. Results: Approximately, 12.5% of the patients experienced DD based on DDS self-administered questionnaire. The rates of mild/moderate and high distress were 8.0% and 4.5%, respectively. DD was found to be significantly higher in type 1 DM (p=0.04), insulin only in treatment regime (p=0.04), physical inactivities (p=0.02), times of mild hypoglycemia (time/month) (p=0.01), and fasting plasma glucose (mmol/l) (p=0.04). The occurrence of distress among DM patients was negatively correlated with their age and amount of physical exercise. Meanwhile, poor HbA1c control (HbA1c≥ 7%) was associated with an increased occurrence of diabetes distress. Conclusion: The findings of single medical center in Vietnam highlights that DD is prevalent among DM patients. It should be of marked concerns, particularly the type 1 diabetic patients, younger age, and poor glycemic control patients.

Dietary inflammatory index and the risk of gastric cancer in a Korean population Dietary Inflammatory Index and the Risk of Gastric Cancer in a Korean Population

The incidence and mortality of colorectal cancer (CRC) has increased rapidly in Vietnam, but the economic burden of this disease has never been estimated. We estimate the direct and indirect cost of CRC patients in Vietnam in 2018 using a prevalence-based approach and human capital method. The total economic cost of CRC was VND 3041.88 billion (~$132.9 million), representing 0.055% of the 2018 gross domestic product. Notably, indirect costs comprised 83.58 % of the total cost, 82.61% of which is future income loss, because CRC occurs during productive years. The economic burden of CRC in Vietnam is substantial. The medical cost for CRC diagnosis and treatment is higher for younger patients and for those in advanced stages. Strategies to decrease the economic burden of CRC at the patient and national level, such as screening programs, should be developed and implemented in Vietnam.