Wando-gun, Excellent Verification of Marine Climate Healing Effects

Confirmation of Health Promotion and Healing Effects Including Physical Fitness Improvement and Immune Enhancement

Wando County is holding the final report meeting for the research service on the development of a precision medical marine climate healing program. ⓒ Asia Economy

[Wando＝Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Choi Kyung-pil] Wando-gun, Jeollanam-do announced on the 8th that it held a final report meeting on the ‘Application Study of Precision Medicine Concept in Marine Climate Healing’ service project at the county office situation room on the 7th.

‘Precision medicine’ refers to gene-centered customized medical care combined with an individual's lifestyle, environment, and existing hospital information systems.

This service project was promoted to create a personalized program model considering lifestyle and environment by evaluating the health status before and after participants who met certain conditions participated in a lodging-type program.

In Wando-gun, over the past two years (2020?2021), 80 women in their 50s to 60s were recruited and a total of eight lodging-type marine climate healing programs were conducted at Sinji Myeongsasimni Beach.

The lodging-type marine climate healing program measures participants' health changes through pre- and post-effect evaluations and monitoring after implementing an integrated marine healing program including lodging for 5 nights and 6 days, diet, and climate healing programs.

Most participants showed improved physical strength, enhanced immunity, normalized blood pressure, and reduced body fat after participating in the program, and levels of diabetes, hyperlipidemia, inflammation, and thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) also decreased.

Moreover, stress reduction and satisfaction indices were high, and nutrition was maintained through a seaweed diet.

The study involved universities, research institutions, data analysis organizations, and sports experts, and received IRB (Institutional Review Board) approval twice for clinical trial research in March last year and January this year.

Additionally, objective and safety aspects of the study were secured by conducting various genetic tests on hormones, stress, immunity, inflammation, cholesterol, etc., through physical measurements, exercise ability and stress tests, and biomarker tests using blood samples from participants.

Professor Lee Eun-il of Korea University, the project executor, said, “All participants showed health improvement effects and high satisfaction,” adding, “The lodging-type marine climate healing program is a stay-type program, and its expanded operation in the future is expected to invigorate tourism and economic revitalization.”

Based on the research results, two papers will be presented at the AD/FD international conference in March next year, and five papers including two domestic doctoral dissertations are scheduled to be published.

Wando-gun plans to implement various programs including lodging-type and non-lodging-type for residents and expand the precision medicine application programs.

Governor Shin Woo-cheol said, “The marine climate healing program has been proven to have excellent health improvement effects,” and added, “We hope the marine healing industry will be revitalized through the operation of lodging-type marine healing programs utilizing Wando’s clean environment.”

Wando＝Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Choi Kyung-pil ckp6737@asiae.co.kr