Diet is important for muscle health and offers a protective effects against the loss of skeletal muscle mass and physical functions with advancing age. We analyzed the relationship between diet, metabolic disease risk, and sarcopenia in Korean female adults using the 2009-2011 Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHANES). A total of 2038 adult women aged 50-64 years were classified into four groups based on the diagnosis of menopause and sarcopenia. The groups were the non-menopause and non-sarcopenia group (NMNS, n=249), the non-menopause and sarcopenia group (NMS, n=14), the menopause and non-sarcopenia group (MNS, n=1,653), and the menopause and sarcopenia group (MS, n=122). The socio-demographics, anthropometrics, blood profile, and dietary data of the subjects were collected. Those who were in both the sarcopenia groups were more obese (p<0.001), had greater waist circumferences (p<0.001), higher body mass index (p<0.001), and higher obesity rates (p<0.001) after adjustment for covariants. Both the sarcopenia groups also had higher plasma levels of total cholesterol (p<0.001), HbA1c (p=0.001), and vitamin D (p=0.020) than both the non-sarcopenia groups. Both the sarcopenia groups demonstrated a decreased intake of calcium (p=0.05), potassium (p=0.008), and niacin (p=0.008) than both the non-sarcopenia ones. Among the four groups, the NMS group showed the highest levels of total cholesterol, obesity, and lowest intake of micronutrients such as calcium, niacin, and potassium. Thus, muscle mass maintenance through weight control and adequate nutrient intake appears to demonstrate a potential association with preventing sarcopenia in Korean middle-aged women.

폐경은 여성비만의 중요한 원인이다. 본 연구는 폐경여성의 동물모델인 난소절제 암컷 쥐에서 몸무게와 혈청 속 지질 성분의 조절에 대한 제니스테인의 농도 의존적 영향을 수영운동과 비교함으로써, 비만 조절에 대한 제니스테인의 효과적인 농도를 조사하였다. 난소절제 암컷 쥐는 대조군, 수영 운동군, 제니스테인 농도별(0.005%, 0.05%, 0.1% wt/wt) 처리군으로 나누고, 모든 쥐는 고지방식 사료를 8주 동안 섭취하였다. 고지방식 사료를 섭취한 대조군에 비해 수영운동을 실시한 군과 제니스테인이 농도별로 처리된 군 모두 몸무게, 백색지방조직의 무게, 혈청 속 지질 성분 농도 및 간조직의 지질 성분 축적이 감소되었다. 이러한 몸무게, 백색지방조직의 무게, 혈청 속 지질 성분 농도 및 간조직의 지질 성분 축적에 대한 제니스테인의 감소효과는 제니스테인 처리농도에 의존적이었고 제니스테인 농도 0.1%에서 가장 효과적이었으며 1시간 수영운동을 실시한 경우와 유사한 효과를 나타내었다. 본 연구결과들은 난소가 절제된 암컷 쥐에서 적정농도의 제니스테인 처리는 비만개선에 대해 수영운동과 유사한 효과를 나타낸다는 것을 제시한다. 제니스테인 보충제 식이의 섭취는 페경기 여성의 비만예방에 도움을 줄 것이다.

목적: 한국 폐경기 여성에서 호르몬 관련 요인과 건성안의 연관성에 대하여 알아보고자 하였다. 방법: 본 인구 기반 단면 연구는 제5기 국민건강영양조사(2010-2012)를 완료한 총 4,586명의 폐경기 여성을 대상으로 복합표본설계 프로시저를 구성하여 분석을 시행하였다. 폐경기 여성을 대상으로 건성안 유병 률을 산출하였고, 공변량을 보정한 다중 로지스틱 회귀분석을 시행하여 내생적 및 외생적 호르몬 관련요인 과 건성안의 연관성을 평가하였다. 결과: 폐경기 여성에서 건성안의 가중된 유병률은 14.2%(95% 신뢰구간: 13.0－15.8)이었다. 사회 인구학 적 요인, 건강행태 요인, 동반질환을 보정한 후에도 경구피임약을 23개월 이상 복용한 경우 건성안 발생 위 험이 1.47배(95% 신뢰구간: 1.03－2.09) 증가하였으며, 여성호르몬제를 36개월 이상 복용한 경우 건성안 발생 위험이 1.70배(95% 신뢰구간: 1.17－2.47) 증가하였다. 결론: 한국 폐경기 여성에서 장기간의 경구피임약과 여성호르몬제의 복용은 건성안의 위험을 유의하게 증가시켰다.

Osteoporosis is a disease that often occurs in postmenopausal women. The purpose of this study was to examine the positive effects of Cheongukjang powder containing menaquinone-7 (MK-7) on bone health circulation in postmenopausal women. Fifty-six postmenopausal women were recruited into a randomised double-blind placebo-controlled trial. The participants were randomly assigned into two groups. For 12 weeks, one group received 800 μg MK-7 in the form of Cheongukjang packs (CMK-7), and the other group received the same amount of identical-looking placebo packs containing barley meal for 12 weeks. Femoral bone mineral density (BMD), bone-specific alkaline phosphatase (ALP), deoxypyridinoline (DPD), osteocalcin (OSC), serum Ca, and serum P were measured at baseline (0 weeks) and 12 weeks. After 12 weeks in the CMK-7 group, it was found that BMD, serum Ca, and serum P had increased above the baseline (p<0.0001, p=0.0028, p<0.0001), whereas bone-specific ALP, DPD, and OSC had decreased below the baseline (p=0.0003, p<0.0001, p<0.0001). Therefore, MK-7 taken as Cheongukjang is expected to prevent osteoporosis in postmenopausal women.

This study was conducted to investigate the anthropometric data, nutrient intakes and serum profiles in premenopausal and postmenopausal women living in Gyeonggi-do Province, Republic of Korea. The subjects were 49 premenopausal women and 63 postmenopausal women who are not taking any hormone or cardiovascular drugs. Anthropometric measurements were taken by a trained practitioner and the data for dietary intakes were obtained by a 24-hour recall method. Serum samples were collected and analyzed for the total cholesterol, triglyceride (TG) and lipoprotein fractions. The mean age of the premenopausal women was 45.17±3.28 years and that of the postmenopausal women was 62.52±4.14 years. The height and weight were 157.86±4.35 ㎝, 58.75±6.01 ㎏ in premenopausal women and 156.42±3.62 ㎝, 57.63±5.38 ㎏ in postmenopausal women, respectively. WHR (waist hip ratio) in postmenopausal women was significantly higher than that of premenopausal women (p<0.05). There were no differences between the pre-and postmenopausal women in the intakes of energy, protein, fat, Ca, Fe, vitamin A, vitamin B1, vitamin B2, niacin, vitamin C and vitamin E. However carbohydrate and Na intakes in postmenopausal women were significantly higher than those of premenopausal women. In postmenopausal women, Ca intake was below and Na intake was extremely high considering KDRIs (Dietary Reference Intakes for Koreans). Serum triglyceride in postmenopausal women was positively correlated with age, BMI (body mass index) and WHR. Serum total cholesterol and triglyceride in postmenopausal women showed significantly negative correlations with fiber intake. These results suggest that it is necessary to help postmenopausal women maintain a healthy body weight. Postmenopausal women needs to increase Ca (calcium) intakes and diet quality by decreasing the intakes of Na (sodium). In addition, an adequate intakes of fiber is recommended for postmenopausal women to prevent cardiovascular disease.

Apolipoprotein A1 (ApoA1) is the major protein component of high density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol in blood, and ApoA1 genetic polymorphisms modulate the blood lipid profiles. This study was conducted in order to investigate the association between three genetic polymorphisms (rs670, rs5069, and rs5070) of ApoA1 and blood lipid profiles in postmenopausal Korean women. A total of 130 post- menopausal women who visited a hospital in order to undergo screening tests were subjects of this study. Genetic polymporphisms and blood lipid profiles were determined using a direct sequencing and spectrophotometric assay, respectively. A significant linkage disequilibrium was observed between all tested single nucleotide polymorphisms. ApoA1 rs5070 genetic polymorphism showed a marginally significant association with HDL cholesterol levels (p=0.066). After adjusting for age, body mass index, smoking, alcohol drinking, medication, hypertension, and diabetes mellitus, we found that the ApoA1 rs5070 genetic polymorphism is a significant determinant of HDL cholesterol levels (β=4.421, p=0.037). According to the results of this study, ApoA1 rs5070 genetic polymorphism may be an important genetic marker associated with HDL cholesterol in postmenopausal Korean women.

To determine the relationships between soybean food intake, dietary isoflavone intake, and osteoporosis incidence, questionnaire surveys, bone mineral density measurements, and dietary surveys by food record were performed with 19 postmenopausal women (57.6±7.3 yrs of age) in Daejeon city. The subjects were divided into two groups: an ‘osteoporosis group’ (OG, n=10) and a ‘normal group’ (NG, n=9). Mean age, height, and body weight were similar between the two groups but BMI was higher in OG than in NG. Mean age at menarche was not different between the two groups. However, mean number of childbirths was greater in OG than in NG and mean total period of lactation was shorter in OG. Mean exercise time per week was similar between the two groups, and mean time of sunlight exposure tended to be shorter in OG. Mean daily intake of calcium was lower in OG whereas sodium intake was higher in OG. Mean daily intakes of total soybean food (OG: 203.8±84.6 g/d, NG: 285.0±146.3 g/d) and total dietary isoflavone (OG: 29.1±14.3 mg/d, NG: 38.3±23.1 mg/ d) were not different between the two groups. However, greater intakes of soybean food and dietary isoflavone were associated with higher bone mineral density, respectively. The above results indicate that osteoporosis incidence tends to be influenced by BMI, maternal factors, dietary nutrient intakes, soybean food intakes, and dietary isoflavone intakes in postmenopausal women; although no significant differences in soybean food and dietary isoflavone intake were found between the two groups. This tendency implies that greater intakes of soybean food and dietary isoflavone lead to lower incidence of osteoporosis in postmenopausal women.