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Choi, Park, Byun, Jeon, Choi, and Sakong: The association between blood cadmium level, frequency and amount of gejang (marinated crab) intake
Research Article

Ann Occup Environ Med 2016;28(1):23.

Published online: 4 February 2016

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1186/s40557-016-0109-0

The association between blood cadmium level, frequency and amount of gejang (marinated crab) intake

Chang Yul Choi1, Gun Il Park1, Young Seok Byun1, Man Joong Jeon1, 2, Kwang Hae Choi3, Joon Sakong1, 2, *

1Department of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Yeungnam University Hospital, 170, Hyeonchung-ro, Nam-gu, Daegu 705–802, Republic of Korea

2Department of Preventive Medicine and Public Health, College of Medicine, Yeungnam University, 170, Hyeonchung-ro, Nam-gu, Daegu 705–802, Republic of Korea

3Department of Pediatrics Medicine, Yeungnam University Hospital, 170, Hyeonchung-ro, Nam-gu, Daegu 705–802, Republic of Korea

*Correspondence: jjsakong@gmail.com 1Department of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Yeungnam University Hospital, 170, Hyeonchung-ro, Nam-gu, Daegu 705-802, Republic of Korea 2Department of Preventive Medicine and Public Health, College of Medicine, Yeungnam University, 170, Hyeonchung-ro, Nam-gu, Daegu 705-802, Republic of Korea Full list of author information is available at the end of the article

      Revised 28 December 2015       Accepted 26 April 2016

Copyright © 2016 Korean Society of Occupational & Environmental Medicine

This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/) which permits unrestricted non-commercial use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

Abstract

Background

Gejang (marinated crab) is a favorite traditional food and a main source of crab intake among Koreans. The present study aimed to identify the possibility of cadmium inflow to the body through gejang; accordingly, the relationship between gejang intake frequency and amount, and blood cadmium concentrations was investigated.

Methods

Using data from the first Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey in the sixth period in 2013, means and standard errors of blood cadmium concentrations in relation to gejang intake frequency and amount, as well as the monthly intake of gejang, were obtained from 1381 participants for whom data regarding blood cadmium concentration measurements was available.

Results

After adjustment for confounding factors, a gejang intake frequency of four or fewer times per week and a monthly intake of 200 cm3 or less had no significant effect on blood cadmium concentrations. However, participants with gejang intake of at least five times per week had a weighted mean cadmium concentration of 2.12 μg/L (p < 0.001), and participants who had a gejang monthly intake of more than 200 cm3 had a weighted mean cadmium concentration of 1.76 μg/L (p <0.001).

Conclusion

These results suggest that to minimize the effect of gejang consumption on blood cadmium level, gejang intake should be limited to four or less times per week and 200 cm3 or less per month. Weekly intake of at least five times and monthly intake of more than 200 cm3 may increase blood cadmium levels.

Keywords: Gejang (marinated crab), Cadmium, KNHANES

References

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Table 1
General characteristics of subjects
N(%)
Characteristics Total Male Female p-value*
Sex 1381 (100.0) 627 (45.4) 754 (54.6)  
Age (yr)
20–29 320 (23.2) 155 (24.7) 165 (21.9) 0.709
30–39 313 (22.7) 136 (21.7) 177 (23.5)  
40–49 303 (21.9) 133 (21.2) 170 (22.5)  
50–59 305 (22.1) 137 (21.9) 168 (22.3)  
≥60 140 (10.1) 66 (10.5) 74 (9.8)  
Education
Middle school or less 252 (18.3) 94 (15.0) 158 (21.0) 0.015
High school 579 (41.9) 270 (43.1) 309 (41.0)  
College or more 549 (39.8) 263 (41.9) 286 (38.0)  
Income a
Low 344 (25.0) 156 (24.9) 188 (25.0) 0.854
Mid-low 344 (25.0) 163 (26.0) 181 (24.1)  
Mid-high 345 (25.0) 154 (24.6) 191 (25.4)  
High 345 (25.0) 153 (24.5) 192 (25.5)  
Smoking
Never 837 (60.6) 164 (26.2) 673 (89.3) <0.001
Former 224 (16.2) 192 (30.6) 32 (4.2)  
Current 320 (23.2) 271 (43.2) 49 (6.5)  
Alcohol consumption (n)
Never 186 (14.5) 60 (9.8) 126 (18.8) <0.001
≤1/month 418 (32.6) 130 (21.2) 288 (43.0)  
2–4/month 383 (29.8) 207 (33.8) 176 (26.3)  
≥1/week 296 (23.1) 216 (35.2) 80 (11.9)  

* Calculated by chi-square test

a Mean monthly household income was classified into quartiles

Table 2
Blood cadmium concentrations by gejang (marinated crab) intake frequency and amount (unweighted and weighted)
Characteristics Unweighted Weighted
Male Female Total Male Female Total
Numbera Cdb Numbera Cdb Numbera Cdb Numberc Cdb Numberc Cdb Numberc Cdb
Frequency
Rarely 514 0.85±0.03 670 1.04± 0.02 1184 0.96±0.02 12,548,740 0.84±0.03 14,304,696 1.07±0.03 26,853,437 0.96± 0.02
1/month 72 1.02±0.15 59 1.08± 0.08 131 1.05±0.09 1,788,377 1.00±0.12 1,345,577 1.14±0.09 3,133,955 1.06± 0.08
2–3/month 29 0.94±0.08 17 1.12± 0.13 46 1.00±0.07 735,207 0.95±0.09 269,466 1.07±0.13 1,004,674 0.98± 0.08
1/week 11 1.06±0.18 4 1.40± 0.17 15 1.15±0.14 218,089 1.03±0.16 65,181 1.44±0.15 283,271 1.13± 0.14
2–4/week – – 3 1.09± 0.11 3 1.09±0.11 – – 43,525 1.15±0.01 43,525 1.15± 0.01
5–6/week 1 1.82 1 2.26 2 2.04±0.22 13,692 1.82 30,364 2.26 44,056 2.12± 0.13
p-value*   0.217   0.340   0.149   <0.001   <0.001   <0.001
Intake per meal
Rarely 514 0.85±0.03 670 1.04± 0.02 1184 0.96±0.02 12,548,740 0.84±0.03 14,304,696 1.07±0.03 26,853,437 0.96± 0.02
5 cm3 5 0.61±0.10 6 1.22± 0.24 11 0.94±0.16 91,884 0.63±0.10 124,635 1.30±0.18 216,520 1.02± 0.17
15 cm3 36 1.11±0.30 25 1.16± 0.12 61 1.13±0.18 914,111 1.04±0.22 514,450 1.30±0.16 1,428,562 1.13± 0.15
50 cm3 72 0.99±0.06 53 1.09± 0.07 125 1.03±0.05 1,749,370 0.99±0.07 1,115,030 1.08±0.08 2,864,400 1.02± 0.05
p-value*   0.099   0.689   0.212   <0.001   <0.001   <0.001
Intake per month
Rarely 514 0.85±0.03 670 1.04± 0.02 1184 0.96±0.02 12,548,740 0.84±0.03 14,304,696 1.07±0.03 26,853,437 0.96± 0.02
≤ 100 cm3 82 0.99±0.14 66 1.11± 0.07 148 1.04±0.08 2,032,772 0.96±0.11 1,446,455 1.15±0.08 3,479,227 1.04± 0.07
101–200 cm3 330 1.04±0.09 16 1.09± 0.09 46 1.05±0.07 708,902 1.05±0.08 250,769 1.06±0.11 959,672 1.06± 0.06
>200 cm3 1 1.82 2 1.71± 0.55 3 1.75±0.32 13,692 1.82 56,890 1.75±0.39 70,583 1.76± 0.31
p-value*   0.137   0.384   0.088   <0.001   <0.001   <0.001

a Number of consumers of 6 th Korea National Health and Nutritional Examination Survey (KNHANES) per individual category

b Blood cadmium concentrations were expressed as mean ± standard error, unit: μ g/L

c Estimated number of the Korean population per individual category

* Calculated by ANCOVA

Table 3
Weighted and adjusted blood cadmium concentrations by gejang (marinated crab) intake frequency and amount
Characteristics Cadmium concentration (μ g/L) a
Frequency
Rarely 0.97±0.02
1/month 1.04±0.07
2–3/month 0.99±0.06
1/week 1.10±0.09
2–4/week 0.98±0.16
5–6/week 1.65±0.13
p-value* <0.001
Intake per meal
Rarely 0.97±0.02
5 cm3 0.93±0.10
15 cm3 1.13±0.14
50 cm3 1.00±0.04
p-value* 0.467
Intake per month
Rarely 0.97±0.02
≤ 100 cm3 1.03±0.06
101–200 cm3 1.05±0.06
>200 cm3 1.46±0.18
p-value* 0.016

a Weighted and adjusted for sex, age, smoking and rice consumption

* Calculated by ANCOVA

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