Nam Hoon Kim
Korea University · 医学
研究室紹介
Professor Nam Hoon Kim's research lab focuses on the interplay between body composition, metabolic health, and aging, with a particular emphasis on identifying and validating novel anthropometric indices—such as the weight-adjusted waist index (WWI)—to assess muscle, fat, and bone mass in older adults. The lab investigates the clinical implications of these body composition parameters in relation to chronic diseases, depression, and cardiovascular outcomes, especially in Korean and aging populations. Their work integrates advanced body composition assessment techniques, including dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry and computed tomography, to explore the paradoxes of metabolic health, such as the obesity paradox and the role of fibrates in managing residual cardiovascular risk in metabolic syndrome. The lab also contributes to real-world evidence on lipid-modifying therapies, aiming to refine precision approaches in preventive cardiology and geriatric medicine.
Research Overview
Research Output Trend
Figures are computed from collected data and may differ slightly.
Selected Papers
15BACKGROUND: Age-related changes in body composition include decreased muscle mass and preserved or increased fat mass. There is no anthropometric index to assess both muscle and fat mass. METHODS: Using a cross-sectional sample of 602 participants aged ≥65 years from the Ansan Geriatric study, we evaluated the association of weight-adjusted waist index (WWI) with muscle and fat mass and compared these with body mass index (BMI) and waist circumference (WC). WWI was calculated as WC (cm) divided
BACKGROUND: Unhealthy body composition, including high fat mass, low muscle mass and low bone mass, is a critical health issue in adults. The weight-adjusted waist index (WWI) estimates fat and muscle mass and may have implications for bone health. We examined its association with body composition outcomes in a large Korean adult cohort. METHODS: This study used data from the Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (2008-2011). WWI was calculated as waist circumference (cm) divid
OBJECTIVES: To examine the relationship between depression and various components of body composition, including fat and muscle, in elderly Koreans. DESIGN: A cross-sectional sample of a longitudinal cohort from the Ansan Geriatric (AGE) Study. SETTING: Elderly people living in urban area (Ansan City, South Korea). PARTICIPANTS: Eight hundred thirty-six participants (378 male, 458 female) aged 60 and older were recruited from April 2006 to January 2008. MEASUREMENTS: Depressive symptoms were exa
Moderate obesity was associated more strongly with a lower risk of mortality than with normal, underweight, and overweight groups in the general population of South Korea. This obesity paradox was prominent in not only the elderly but also individuals with chronic disease.
OBJECTIVE: To investigate whether fenofibrate as add-on to statin treatment reduce persistent cardiovascular risk in adults with metabolic syndrome in a real world setting. DESIGN: Propensity matched cohort study. SETTING: Population based cohort in Korea. PARTICIPANTS: 29 771 adults with metabolic syndrome (≥40 years) receiving statin treatment. 2156 participants receiving combined treatment (statin plus fenofibrate) were weighted based on propensity score in a 1:5 ratio with 8549 participants
Fibrates, peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-α agonists, are potent lipid-modifying drugs. Their main effects are reduction of triglycerides and increase in high-density lipoprotein levels. Several randomized controlled trials have not demonstrated their benefits on cardiovascular risk reduction, especially as an "add on" to statin therapy. However, subsequent analyses by major clinical trials, meta-analyses, and real-world evidence have proposed their potential in specific patient popul
BACKGROUND & AIMS: The course of NAFLD (nonalcoholic fatty liver disease) and associated factors in nonobese subjects are not well established. We investigated contributing factors for the development and regression of NAFLD in nonobese Koreans, and whether they would differ from those of obese subjects. METHODS: Two thousand three hundred and seven adults aged over 18 years participated in this longitudinal observational study. The mean duration of follow-up was 28.7 (±13.2) months. The partici
Melatonin plays an important role in regulating circadian rhythms. It also acts as a potent antioxidant and regulates glucose and lipid metabolism, although the exact action mechanism is not clear. The α2-HS-glycoprotein gene (AHSG) and its protein, fetuin-A (FETUA), are one of the hepatokines and are known to be associated with insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes. The aim of this study was to determine whether melatonin improves hepatic insulin resistance and hepatic steatosis in a FETUA-dep
STUDY OBJECTIVES: To determine whether short sleep duration alone or combined with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is associated with regional body fat including abdominal visceral fat area (VFA) among Korean adults. DESIGN: Cross-sectional study. SETTING: Ansan, South Korea. PARTICIPANTS: There were 838 community participants age 40-69 y from the Korean Genome and Epidemiology Study. MEASUREMENTS AND RESULTS: Subjective habitual sleep duration and OSA were defined based on a structured sleep ques
Diabetic kidney disease (DKD) is a prevalent renal complication of diabetes mellitus that ultimately develops into end-stage kidney disease (ESKD) when not managed appropriately. Substantial risk of ESKD remains even with intensive management of hyperglycemia and risk factors of DKD and timely use of renin-angiotensin-aldosterone inhibitors. Sodium-glucose cotransporter 2 (SGLT2) inhibitors reduce hyperglycemia primarily by inhibiting glucose and sodium reabsorption in the renal proximal tubule.
In this 16-week treatment trial, vildagliptin, but not pioglitazone, reduced glycemic variability in individuals with type 2 diabetes who was inadequately controlled with metformin monotherapy, although a reduction of oxidative stress markers was not observed.
BACKGROUND: Substantial evidence supports an association between physical activity and cognitive function. However, the role of muscle mass and function in brain structural changes is not well known. This study investigated whether sarcopenia, defined as low muscle mass and strength, accelerates brain volume atrophy. METHODS: A total of 1284 participants with sarcopenic measurements and baseline and 4-year follow-up brain magnetic resonance images were recruited from the Korean Genome and Epidem
BACKGRUOUND: To investigate the prevalence, incidence, comorbidities, and management status of diabetic kidney disease (DKD) and diabetes-related end-stage kidney disease (ESKD) in South Korea. METHODS: We used the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey data (2019 to 2021, n=2,665) for the evaluation of prevalence, comorbidities, control rate of glycemia and comorbidities in DKD, and the Korean Health Insurance Service-customized database (2008 to 2019, n=3,950,857) for the evalu
BACKGROUND: To determine the impact of dipeptidyl peptidase-4 inhibitor (DPP4i) on the risk of major cardiocerebrovascular and renal outcomes compared with sulfonylurea (SU) combined with metformin in patients with type 2 diabetes from a population-based cohort. METHODS: From a nationwide cohort in Korea (2008-2013), 23,674 patients with type 2 diabetes treated with DPP4i plus metformin or SU plus metformin were selected and matched by propensity score. Composite cardiocerebrovascular events inc