Annals of Occupational and Environmental Medicine

Original Article

Analysis of shark meat consumption patterns among young and middle-aged women in Gyeongsangbuk-do, South Korea, using community health survey data: Soyoung Son, Junmin Seong, Chulyong Park, Kiook Baek, Joon Sakong; Ann Occup Environ Med 2025;37:e26. Published online September 9, 2025; DOI: https://doi.org/10.35371/aoem.2025.37.e26

Abstract Abstract in Korean PDF: Background
Mercury, particularly in its methylmercury form, significantly affects neurological and developmental functions. In Gyeongsangbuk-do, Republic of Korea, blood mercury levels are elevated due to high fish consumption, especially shark meat. Vulnerable groups, such as pregnant women, are at increased risk as methylmercury can cross the placenta and accumulate in breast milk. This study aimed to investigate the risks of mercury exposure from shark meat consumption among young and middle-aged women in Gyeongsangbuk-do.
Methods
The data of women aged 19–55 years from the 2018 Gyeongsangbuk-do Community Health Survey were included. Survey questions focused on frequency and amount of shark meat consumption, as well as pregnancy status, recent childbirth, and breastfeeding status. The Complex Sample Analysis was used to determine the prevalence and risk of overconsumption. Weekly mercury intake was calculated for respondents who reported their body weight, and the population size exceeding Joint Food and Agriculture Organization/World Health Organization Expert Committee on Food Additives (JECFA) and Ministry of Food and Drug Safety (MFDS)’s threshold was estimated.
Results
Regions where the consumption rate of shark meat exceeds the average for Gyeongsangbuk-do are found to be distributed in the southeastern part of the province. Population estimates revealed that approximately 9,895 women aged 19–55, including 255 who had breastfed in the past year, consumed shark meat exceeding the recommended intake. Based on the maximum recorded mercury concentration (8.93 μg/g), an estimated 2,645 women surpassed the JECFA’s mercury exposure threshold, while 845 exceeded the MFDS’s threshold.
Conclusions
In young and middle-aged women of Gyeongsangbuk-do, approximately 7.1% exceed the single intake limit, while up to 1.9% exceed the JECFA’s provisional tolerable weekly intake (PTWI) and 0.6% exceed the MFDS’s PTWI, suggesting considerable risk that warrants monitoring and guidance. More stringent advisory measures regarding shark meat consumption and updated standards on mercury concentration in shark meat are essential for young and middle-aged women in the province.; 지역사회건강조사 데이터를 이용한 경상북도지역 청년-중년기 여성의 상어고기 섭취 행태 분석
목적
수은, 특히 메틸수은 형태의 수은은 신경 및 발달 기능에 큰 영향을 미친다. 수은이 기타 어류보다 더 높게 축적된 상어고기는 경상북도에서 전통적으로 소비되고 있으며, 경상북도 지역 주민의 혈중 수은 농도가 타 지역에 높게 관찰된 바 있다. 임산부와 어린이와 같은 취약 계층은 메틸수은이 태반을 통과하여 모유에 축적될 수 있기 때문에 상어고기를 섭취에 대한 위험이 더 높다. 본 연구는 2018년 지역사회건강조사 자료를 활용하여, 경상북도 내 청년-중년기 성의 메틸수은 노출에 대한 잠재적 위해도를 조사하고자 하였다.
방법
2018년 경상북도 지역사회 건강조사에 참여한 19~55세 여성 데이터를 바탕으로 상어고기 섭취 특성을 분석하였다. 설문 문항은 상어고기 섭취 여부, 빈도, 섭취량을 포함하였으며, 임신 여부, 최근 출산 여부, 모유 수유 여부를 확인하였다. 복합 표본 분석을 통해 상어고기 섭취 인구 비율과 모집단을 추정하고, 섭취 빈도와 섭취량의 평균 및 최대값을 산출하였다. 체중을 보고한 응답자를 대상으로 주간 수은 섭취량을 계산하였으며, 이를 통해 JECFA와 식약청의 규제 기준을 초과한 인구 규모를 추정하였다.
결과
경상북도 남동부 지역(영천시, 경주시, 청도군, 군위군, 경산시 등)의 상어고기 섭취율이 경상북도 평균 섭취율보다 높은 것으로 나타났다. 모집단 추정 결과, 19~55세 여성 약 9,895명과 지난 1년간 모유 수유를 한 255명이 권장 섭취량을 초과하여 상어고기를 섭취한 것으로 나타났다. 경상북도에서 기록된 최대 수은 농도(8.93 µg/g)를 기준으로, 약 2,645명의 여성이 FAO/WHO JECFA의 수은 노출 기준을 초과하였으며, 845명은 식약청 기준을 초과한 것으로 추정되었다.
결론
인구 추정치를 고려하면, 메틸수은 노출에 대한 민감 집단인 청년-중년기 여성 중 약 7.1%는 1회 섭취 기준, 1.9%는 JECFA PTWI, 0.6%는 식약청 PTWI를 초과해 모니터링과 지도가 필요한 수준의 위험으로 보인다. 가임기 여성의 상어고기에 섭취에 대하여는 지역사회 수준의 적극적 홍보 및 상어고기 내의 수은에 대한 지속적인 모니터링이 필요하다.

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Research Article

Hazards and health problems in occupations dominated by aged workers in South Korea: Jungsun Park, Soo Geun Kim, Jong-shik Park, Boyoung Han, Kab Bae Kim, Yangho Kim; Ann Occup Environ Med 2017;29:27. Published online June 26, 2017; DOI: https://doi.org/10.1186/s40557-017-0177-9

Abstract PDF

Background

South Korea’s population is aging more rapidly than any other country. Aging of the productive population will lead to shortage of labor and the decreasing quality of the labor force in South Korea. South Korea needs health care strategies to support the establishment of work environments that are appropriate for elderly workers who have reduced physical capacity. This paper aims to identify occupations that are dominated by aged workers and assess the exposure to hazards and work-related health problems of aged workers in these occupations.

Methods

We identified the 20 occupations in South Korea that employ the most aged workers (at least 55 years-old), among all 149 occupations that are defined as minor categories (identified by three digits) by the Korean Standard Classification of Occupations (KSCO). Exposure to hazards and work-related health problems of individuals in these occupations were evaluated by analyzing the results of the fourth Working Conditions Survey of 2014.

Results

Among the 20 occupations that employ the most aged workers, ‘Elementary Occupations’, which the KSCO classifies as major category (9), had the largest proportion of aged workers. After this, there were five occupations of skilled manual workers and six occupations of skilled non-manual workers. Aged workers in elementary and skilled manual occupations reported frequent exposure to job-specific hazards, such as noise, vibrations, high and low temperatures, solvents, and chemicals. Relative to other workers, aged workers in the occupations reported more frequent exposure to ergonomic hazards, such as tiring or painful positions, carrying or moving heavy loads, and repetitive movements, and also reported more work-related musculoskeletal disorders and general fatigue. Injury due to accident was common in machinery-handling occupations.

Conclusion

Job-specific hazards should be reduced to prevent occupation-related disorders in elementary and skilled manual occupations that are dominated by aged workers.

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Original Article

Bone and Blood Lead Levels of Middle Aged Koreans not Occupationally Exposed to Lead: Nam Soo Kim, Sung Woo Choi, Jin Ho Kim, Jung O Ham, Hae Yoon Park, Kyu Dong Ahn, Byung Kook Lee; Korean Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine 2007;19(4):285-292. Published online December 31, 2007; DOI: https://doi.org/10.35371/kjoem.2007.19.4.285

Abstract PDF

OBJECTIVES
In order to investigate the level and the association between bone lead and blood lead levels of non-occupationally, lead-exposed Koreans, the authors studied the lead biomarkers of 137 middle aged Koreans (86 males and 51 females) older than whose age were above 40 years.
METHODS
The tibia lead level was selected as the bone lead indicator of cortical bone, and the blood lead level was also measured. The tibia lead level was measured by K-shell XRF with 30-minute measurement of each subjects. The blood lead level was analyzed by AAS method.
RESULTS
The mean (SD) of the tibia lead level of the 137 study subjects was 3.49 (4.99) microgram/g, and tended to be higher. The mean (SD) of tibia lead level in male subjects (was 3.90 (4.88) microgram/g) and larger than in that of female subjects (2.80 (5.14) microgram/g), but without no statistical significance was observed. The mean (SD) of blood lead level of all total subjects was 3.70 (1.35)microgram/dl, and tended to be higher. The mean (SD) of blood lead level in male subjects (was 3.93 (1.25) microgram/dl) and larger than in that of female subjects (3.30 (1.42) microgram/dl), but without no statistical significance was observed. In multiple regression analysis of blood lead levels after adjusting for covariates, age was a significant independent variable. A weak association of age with tibia lead in female subjects was also observed in multiple regression analysis.
CONCLUSION
The mean (SD) of tibia and blood lead levels of middle aged Koreans whose ages were over 40 years old were 3.49 (4.99) microgram/g and 3.70 (1.35) microgram/dl, respectively. Age and sex were positive predictors of blood lead level in multiple regression analysis after controlling for the covariates. However, in multiple regression analysis whereas age was weakly association with tibia lead level only in female subjects in multiple regression analysis.

Citations

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Blood lead concentration and related factors in Korea from the 2008 National Survey for Environmental Pollutants in the Human Body
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Original Article

Relationship between Fatigue Severity and Heart Rate Variability in Middle-Aged Male Workers: Sang Wook Song, Jin Hee Shin, Thomas Findley; Korean Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine 2005;17(1):26-35. Published online March 31, 2005; DOI: https://doi.org/10.35371/kjoem.2005.17.1.26

Abstract PDF

OBJECTIVES
This study investigated the relationship between the severity of fatigue and the cardiac autonomic function by analyzing the heart rate variability on middle-aged male workers.
METHODS
The severity of fatigue and heart rate variability were assessed with the control measures of age, body mass index, blood pressure, alcohol consumption, smoking history, regular exercise on 82 healthy middle-aged male workers in an annual health checkup. The severity of fatigue was evaluated by the Fatigue Severity Scale (FSS), which was developed by Krupp. The 5-minute electrocardiographic recordings were analyzed as a function of the time and the frequency domain methods of the heart rate variability (HRV). Standard Deviation of the NN intervals (SDNN), Root-Mean-Square of Successive Differences (rMSSD), Total Power (TP), Low Frequency (LF: 0.04~0.15 Hz) power, High Frequency (HF: 0.15-0.4 Hz) power, LF/HF ratio were used as the indices of the HRV. For a comparison of autonomic nervous functions and other variables, the subjects were divided into three fatigue groups based on the FSS score as follows: low (N=31), moderate (N=33), high (N=18) fatigue groups.
RESULTS
There were no significant differences in age, blood pressure, heart rate, body mass index, alcohol consumption, or regular exercise except for the smoking history among the groups. In addition, there were no significant differences in the time domain analysis (SDNN, rMSSD) of HRV among the groups. Spectral analysis of the HRV showed that the mean amplitudes of the HF and LF component were lower in the high fatigue group, whereas there was no significant difference in the LF/HF ratio among the fatigue groups. There were no significant differences in the HRV indices between the smoking and non-smoking groups. No significant interacting effects between the severity of fatigue and smoking on the HRV were observed.
CONCLUSIONS
The association between severe fatigue and the reduced high and low frequency components of the HRV in middle-aged male workers reflects a dysregulation of the cardiac autonomous control. Although the pathophysiological mechanism of this association remains unclear, these results might explain their increased risk for cardiovascular disease. However, these effects need to be confirmed through a well-designed prospective study.

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