OBJECTIVE -This study examined the effect of menopausal status on the risk of the metabolic syndrome in Korean women. RESULTS -Postmenopausal women had significantly higher mean waist circumference, systolic blood pressure, pulse pressure, total cholesterol, LDL cholesterol, and triglyceride levels than premenopausal women after adjusting for age (P ϭ 0.018, P ϭ 0.001, P Ͻ 0.0001, P Ͻ 0.0001, P Ͻ 0.0001, and P ϭ 0.006, respectively). Among postmenopausal women, the ageadjusted odds ratio was 1.61 (95% CI 1.15-2.25) for abdominal obesity, 1.11 (0.76 -1.61) for elevated blood pressure, 1.24 (0.90 -1.72) for low HDL cholesterol, 1.28 (0.89 -1.83) for high triglycerides, and 1.07 (0.69 -1.65) for high fasting glucose compared with premenopausal women. The multivariate-adjusted odds ratio for the metabolic syndrome was 1.60 (95% CI 1.04 -2.46) among postmenopausal women compared with premenopausal women. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODSCONCLUSIONS -Postmenopausal status is associated with an increased risk of the metabolic syndrome independent of normal aging in Korean women. Diabetes Care 30:701-706, 2007S troke and coronary artery disease were major causes of death among Korean women in 2004, second only to malignant diseases (1). Ischemic heart disease is more common in Korean women aged Ͼ50 years than in Korean men of the same age-group (2). Menopause appears to increase the risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD) independently of normal aging, and premenopausal women may be protected against CVD compared with men and postmenopausal women of a similar age (3).The metabolic syndrome is one of the major predisposing factors for CVD, and the population-attributable fraction of the metabolic syndrome has been reported to be 12-17% for CVD in the U.S. (4). The prevalence of the metabolic syndrome increases with age in both men and women. From young (Ն20 years) to middle age (Ͻ50 years), Korean men tend to have a higher prevalence of the metabolic syndrome than Korean women. However, Korean women have a higher prevalence than Korean men above the age of 50 years (5,6). It has been suggested that menopause is a contributing factor for this change in prevalence (6). A study in the U.S. demonstrated an increased risk of the metabolic syndrome among postmenopausal women (7). To our knowledge, there have been few studies on the effect of menopause on the development of the metabolic syndrome independent of age, and little information is available on an association between the metabolic syndrome and menopausal status in Korean women. This study examined the difference in the prevalence of the cardiovascular risk factors between postmenopausal and premenopausal women and assessed the effect of menopausal status on the metabolic syndrome in Korean women. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS -The Korean NationalHealth and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHANES) was conducted by the Korean Ministry of Health and Welfare in 2001. The participants were noninstitutionalized civilians in the Republic of Korea. The sampling units were households selec...

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Short (≤ 6 hr) and long (≥ 9 hr) sleep durations are both associated with risk factors for cardiovascular diseases and diabetes, depression, learning problems, accidents and excess mortality. However, little is known about factors associated with sleep duration in Korean adults. This study examined sleep patterns in Korean adults and identified factors associated with short and long sleep durations. This study analyzed cross-sectional data collected from 4,411 Korean adults aged 19 yr and older who participated in a community health survey conducted in Gwangju, Korea. Multinomial logistic regression analysis was used to identify associations between socio-demographic and health-related factors and short or long sleep durations. Of the population, 37.2% and 4.0% reported short and long sleep, respectively. Short sleep was associated with older age, lower levels of income, night or shift work, heavy smoking, and depression or anxiety; long sleep was associated with younger age, being divorced or widowed, heavy smoking, underweight, depression or anxiety, and poorer self-reported health. In conclusion, a relatively high prevalence of short sleep duration is identified in this population of Korean adults. Factors associated with short or long sleep may act as potential confounders of the relationship between sleep duration and health outcomes.

BackgroundWe investigated the association of cumulative smoking exposure and duration of smoking cessation with peripheral arterial disease (PAD).MethodsThe study population consisted of 2517 community-dwelling Korean men aged 50 years and older. Information on smoking characteristics such as smoking status, pack-years of smoking, and years since quitting smoking was collected using a standardized questionnaire. PAD was defined as an ankle-brachial index (ABI) less than 0.90 in either leg.ResultsThe odds ratio (OR, 95% confidence interval) of PAD was 2.31 (1.20-4.42) for former smokers and 4.30 (2.13-8.66) for current smokers, after adjusting for other cardiovascular risk factors. There was a significant dose-response relationship between pack-years of smoking and PAD. Compared with those who had never smoked, the multivariate-adjusted ORs of PAD for smokers of 0.1-20.0, 20.1-40.0, and >40.0 pack-years were 2.15 (1.06-4.38), 2.24 (1.08-4.65), and 2.93 (1.41-6.09), respectively. There was a significant decrease in PAD risk as the years since quitting smoking increased. The multivariate-adjusted ORs of PAD for 11-20 and ≥21 years smoking cessation were 0.41 (0.19-0.86) and 0.49 (0.24-0.98), compared with current smokers.ConclusionsCumulative smoking exposure and duration of smoking cessation were significantly associated with PAD in middle aged and older Korean men.

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These two cohorts were designed to examine the increasing burden of chronic diseases among Korean populations. The studies investigated determinants for stroke, osteoporosis, dementia and cancer among middle-aged and elderly Korean populations. The Namwon Study baseline survey was performed between 2004 and 2007 (n = 10 667), and followed up 4 years later (n = 8157, follow-up rate = 76.5%). The baseline survey of the Dong-gu Study was administered over 2007-2010 (n = 9260), and will be followed up between 2014 and 2015. Questionnaires included assessment of cognitive function, psychiatric health and lifestyle factors. Clinical examinations, biochemical tests and genotyping focused on evaluating the determinants of target diseases and their intermediate phenotypes. Potential collaborators will be invited to contact the chief investigators.

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