Earticle

Objectives: This study aimed to examine the relationship between family relationship satisfaction and depression among middle-aged adults aged 40–64 in Korea, and to assess the moderating role of alcohol consumption in this association, thereby providing empirical evidence to inform mental health promotion and depression prevention policies. Methods: Based on data from the 17th wave (2022) of the Korea Welfare Panel Study, regression analyses were performed using PROCESS macro Model 1 to analyze the association between family relationship satisfaction and depression and to test the moderating effect of alcohol consumption among 2,429 middle-aged adults aged 40–64. Results: First, family relationship satisfaction had a significant negative effect on the level of depression among middle-aged adults (β = -1.402, p < .001). Second, the level of alcohol consumption did not have a significant main effect on depression (β = 0.007, p = 0.505). Third, the interaction effect between family relationship satisfaction and alcohol consumption was significant (β = 0.033, p = 0.023), confirming the moderating effect of alcohol consumption. Fourth, the conditional effect analysis revealed that the negative effect of family relationship satisfaction on depression was strongest at a low level of alcohol consumption (M-1SD) (β = -1.657, p < .001). This mitigating effect on depression was found to be relatively weakened at the average level of alcohol consumption (β = -1.402, p < .001) and at a high level of alcohol consumption (M+1SD) (β = -1.147, p < .001). Conclusions: These findings offer important practical implications for middle-age mental health service settings. To prevent depression and promote mental health during middle age, an integrated approach addressing both family relationship satisfaction and alcohol reduction is necessary. Furthermore, individual psychotherapy should be accompanied by environmental interventions. Specifically, when community mental health centers or comprehensive addiction support centers operate counseling and prevention programs for middle-aged adults, an integrated approach that simultaneously assesses and intervenes in both family relationship issues and drinking behaviors is highly required.

Purpose: Physical inactivity affects nearly one third of adults globally and continues to increase despite international initiatives such as the Global Action Plan on Physical activity. It contributes substantially to chronic disease burden, mortality and disability. In South Korea, physical activity levels have declined in recent years, with notable disparities by age, sex and health status. Identifying chronic disease and health behavioural factors associated with low physical activity is essential for informing targeted public health interventions. Methods: This was a cross-sectional survey that analysed data from 4,721 Korean adults aged 19-69 years participating in the 2023 KNHANES. Physical activity was assessed using the WHO Global Physical Activity Questionnaire and classified into low, moderate and high based on total MET-minutes/week. Socio-demographic characteristics, chronic diseases and health behaviours were examined. Survey-weighted descriptive statistics, chi-square tests and logistic regression analysis were conducted to identify factors associated with low physical activity. Results: Low physical activity was observed in 65.9% of Korean adults. In survey-weighted logistic regression analysis, diabetes was independently associated with low physical activity [AOR=1.36 (95% CI: 1.02, 1.82); 0.035], while hypertension and dyslipidemia were not significant after adjustment. Regarding health behaviors, non-smokers had lower odds of low physical activity compared with current smokers [AOR= 0.76 (95% CI: 0.64, 0.91); 0.003]. alcohol consumption and body mass index were not independently associated with physical activity levels. Conclusion: Low physical activity among Korean adults is strongly associated with diabetes and smoking. Given the high prevalence of inactivity, coordinated public health strategies and targeted health promotion interventions are urgently needed, alongside further research to clarify long-term health risks.

Objectives: Physical activity research in Korea has predominantly relied on quantitative approaches focused on adherence rates and correlates. This study examined how physical activity among Korean young and older adults is perceived, experienced, and given meaning within the contexts of life course and living environment. Methods: This was a qualitative comparative review of six peer-reviewed qualitative studies conducted by the authors and collaborators from 2014 to 2025. Included studies recruited participants aged 19 years or older and addressed topics related to physical activity, walking, active living, or health behavior. Study characteristics and key findings were organized in a data matrix, and themes were reconstructed through iterative comparison guided by thematic synthesis principles. Results: Five integrated themes were formed. First, urban older adults experienced physical activity not as discrete exercise but as the very substance of everyday life, with walking underpinning daily mobility, social participation, and a sense of continuing agency. Second, rural older adults with obesity perceived themselves as already sufficiently active through farming and household labor—a perception reinforced by cultural norms that did not frame work-related movement as health behavior. Third, urban young adults framed physical activity primarily as self-management, with exercise serving as a strategy for maintaining personal order amid competitive and precarious life conditions. Fourth, walking was universally present across the life course but differed substantially in meaning and status by age group and gender—valued as mobility by older adults and as a social-emotional resource by all groups, yet regarded as low-intensity and inefficient by some young men. Fifth, opportunities for physical activity were organized by the built and social environments of daily living areas: walkable infrastructure and accessible destinations enabled activity in urban settings, while fragmented resources and car-dependent mobility constrained it in rural areas. Conclusions: Physical activity is more fully understood when reframed as encompassing not only exercise but also everyday mobility and the maintenance of daily life. Promoting physical activity requires context-sensitive approaches that reflect how different groups inhabit, move through, and make sense of their everyday environments.

Objectives: This study examined the association between smartphone use-related daily life interference and depressive mood among Korean adults, and investigated the mediating role of sleep duration in this relationship. Methods: Using data from the 2025 Community Health Survey (Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency), we analyzed 229,394 adults aged ≥19 years. Smartphone use-related daily life interference was defined as self-reported interference in daily life due to excessive use of internet, gaming, and smartphones; depressive mood was measured as experiencing depression or hopelessness that impaired daily functioning for ≥2 consecutive weeks in the past year. Sleep duration was calculated as the weighted average of weekday and weekend hours. Mediation was tested using Baron and Kenny’s three-step regression approach with the Sobel test for the indirect effect; all analyses accounted for complex survey weights. Age-stratified subgroup analyses (19–44, 45–64, 65–74, ≥75 years) were additionally conducted. Results: Smartphone use-related daily life interference was significantly associated with increased odds of depressive mood (OR=1.883, 95% CI: 1.768–2.006). It was negatively associated with sleep duration (B=−0.0539, p=.0018), and longer sleep duration was associated with lower odds of depressive mood (OR=0.873, p<.001). The indirect effect through sleep duration was statistically significant (B=0.0073, 95% CI: 0.0025 ~ 0.0121), accounting for approximately 1.2% of the total effect. This indicates a statistically significant indirect path, although the indirect effect was modest. The slightly larger direct effect after including sleep duration should therefore be interpreted cautiously and may be attributable to the non-linear properties of logistic regression models. Age-stratified analyses showed that the association was strongest among adults aged 45–64 years (OR=2.031), followed by 19–44 years (OR=1.910), ≥75 years (OR=1.659), and 65–74 years (OR=1.500). Conclusions: Smartphone use-related daily life interference is significantly associated with depressive mood in Korean adults, with sleep duration serving as a partial mediator. The association was particularly pronounced in middle-aged adults. These findings suggest the need for multi-component interventions that combine sleep hygiene education as a supportive strategy with digital wellness programs, along with tailored approaches addressing mental health vulnerabilities across different age groups in an aging society.

Objectives: This study examined the evolution of national dietary guidelines for Korean and Americans, focusing on Korean application of Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2025〜2030. The study aimed to identify similarities and differences in shifting nutrition policy paradigms reflected in both countries’ guidelines. Methods: A narrative review was conducted using officially published dietary guidelines from Korean government and the United States government across multiple revision cycles. Results: Both countries’ dietary guidelines evolved from a primary focus on nutrient deficiency prevention toward comprehensive chronic disease prevention and health promotion. The United States incorporated quantitative intake limits and risk-based language earlier, reflecting a preventive and evidence-driven approach. In contrast, Korea influenced by sociocultural norms and evolving public health concerns. In recent revisions, both countries emphasized lifestyle modification, and the reduction of non-communicable disease risks. Conclusions: The evolution of dietary guidelines in Korea and the United States mirrors broader global transitions in nutrition policy toward chronic disease prevention. Although shaped by distinct cultural and policy environments, both countries have increasingly adopted evidence-based and health-oriented approaches. Future revisions should provide clearer and more consistent recommendations aligned with epidemiological evidence and population health priorities.