Gender Difference in the Relationship Among Family Function, Health Behavior, and Stress in Midlife

This study investigated whether there are gender-based differences in the process wherein family functions influence stress through various health behaviors in midlife adults. A cross-sectional study was done using a convenience sample of 250 middle-aged Koreans. Data on the family APGAR index, four health behaviors (i.e., seeking health information, physical activity, healthy diet, and social interaction), and stress were collected by a self-administered survey and analyzed using hierarchical multiple linear regression analyses and a PROCESS macro for SPSS. The study results showed that an indirect effect of family function on stress through health behaviors was significant in women, whereas such a relationship was not shown in men. This study found that the process wherein family function is linked with stress through health behaviors differs by gender. Developing gender-specific interventions is essential to decrease stress in midlife adults.

Prevalence and Correlates of Receiving Medical Advice to Increase Physical Activity in U.S. Adults: National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2013-2016

INTRODUCTION

National objectives recommend healthcare professionals provide physical activity advice. This study examined health and demographic characteristics associated with receipt of medical advice to increase physical activity among U.S. health care-utilizing adults and differences in associations by age group.

METHODS

Analyses included 8,410 health care-utilizing adults aged ≥20 years from the 2013-2016 National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys (analyzed in 2018). Logistic regression was used to examine associations between receipt of medical advice to increase physical activity in the past year and measured health conditions, reported health behaviors, and demographic characteristics. Models were stratified by age group (20-39, 40-59, and ≥60 years).

RESULTS

Physical activity medical advice was received by 42.9% (95% CI=40.8, 44.9) of adults overall. By age group, 32.7% of younger adults, 46.7% of middle-aged adults, and 48.9% of older adults received advice. Among all adults and across all age groups, receipt of advice was higher among adults with chronic health conditions: obesity (63.0%, 95% CI=60.3, 65.7), hypertension (56.5%, 95%=CI 53.8, 59.2), diabetes (69.8%, 95% CI=66.5, 72.8), hypercholesterolemia (55.6%, 95% CI=52.3, 59.0), and low high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (53.8%, 95% CI=50.1, 57.4). Among all adults, those with obesity, hypertension, and diabetes had significantly greater odds of receipt of advice after adjustment. Stronger associations between diabetes and hypercholesterolemia and receiving physical activity advice were observed among younger adults.

CONCLUSIONS

Receipt of physical activity medical advice was highest among adults with specific chronic health conditions, and this pattern was stronger among younger adults with diabetes and hypercholesterolemia. However, most health care-utilizing adults did not receive physical activity medical advice.

The Relationship of Socioeconomic and Behavioral Risk Factors With Trends of Overweight in Korea

Objectives:

Previous studies have shown that overweight (including obesity) has increased significantly in Korea in recent decades. However, it remains unclear whether this change has been uniform among all Koreans and to what extent socioeconomic and behavioral factors have contributed to this increase.

Methods:

Changes in overweight were estimated using data from the 1998, 2001, 2005, 2007-2009, and 2010-2012 Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (n=55 761).

Results:

Overweight increased significantly among men but not among women between 1998 and 2012. Changes in socioeconomic and behavioral factors over the time period were not associated with overall trends for both men and women. However, we found significant differences in the prevalence of overweight relative to key risk factors. For men, overweight increased at a significantly greater rate among the non-exercising (predicted probability [PP] from 0.23 to 0.32] and high-calorie (PP from 0.18 to 0.37) groups compared to their active and lower-calorie counterparts, respectively. For women, overweight increased only among the non-exercising (PP from 0.27 to 0.28) and low-income (PP from 0.31 to 0.36) groups during this period.

Conclusions:

These findings suggest that programs aimed at reducing overweight should target Korean men and women in specific socioeconomic and behavioral risk groups differentially.