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Association between unhealthy plant-based diets and the metabolic syndrome in adult men and women: a population-based study in South Korea

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  27 July 2020

Hyunju Kim
Affiliation:
Department of Epidemiology, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA Welch Center for Prevention, Epidemiology, and Clinical Research, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
Kyueun Lee
Affiliation:
Department of Medical Nutrition, Graduate School of East-West Medical Science, Kyung Hee University, Yongin, 17104, South Korea
Casey M. Rebholz
Affiliation:
Department of Epidemiology, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA Welch Center for Prevention, Epidemiology, and Clinical Research, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
Jihye Kim*
Affiliation:
Department of Medical Nutrition, Graduate School of East-West Medical Science, Kyung Hee University, Yongin, 17104, South Korea
*
*Corresponding author: Dr Jihye Kim, fax +82 31 204 8119, email kjhye@khu.ac.kr
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Abstract

No studies have investigated the associations between established plant-based diet indices and the metabolic syndrome (MetS). We evaluated the associations between an overall plant-based diet index (PDI), healthy PDI (hPDI), unhealthy PDI (uPDI) and the MetS in a nationally representative sample using data from 14 450 Korean adults (≥19 years) in the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2012–2016. Dietary intakes were assessed by a semi-quantitative FFQ. In the PDI, all plant foods received positive scores. In the hPDI, only healthy plant foods received positive scores. In the uPDI, only unhealthy plant foods received positive scores. All indices reverse scored animal food intake. Multivariable logistic regression models were used to examine the associations between three PDI and the MetS by sex, adjusting for potential risk factors. A total of 23·3 % of Korean adults had the MetS. In the overall study population, individuals in the highest quintile of uPDI had greater odds (OR 1·54, 95 % CI 1·28, 1·86, Ptrend < 0·001) of the MetS than those in the lowest quintile. Higher uPDI score was associated with higher odds of hypertriacylglycerolaemia in men and abdominal obesity, high fasting glucose and hypertriacylglycerolaemia in women. No significant associations were observed between PDI, hPDI and the MetS. Greater adherence to unhealthy plant-based diets was associated with greater odds of the MetS and its components suggesting the importance of the quality of plant-based diet in South Korean adults. Sex differences may be considered when recommending plant-based diets for the prevention and management of metabolic diseases.

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Type
Full Papers
Copyright
© The Author(s), 2020. Published by Cambridge University Press on behalf of The Nutrition Society
Figure 0

Table 1. Characteristics of South Korean adults according to quintiles of plant-based diet index (PDI), healthy plant-based diet index (hPDI) and unhealthy plant-based diet index (uPDI) scores in the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2012–2016*†(Mean values and standard deviations; numbers and percentages)

Figure 1

Table 2. Metabolic syndrome according to quintiles (Q) of plant-based diet scores among South Korean adults*(Odds ratios and 95 % confidence intervals; numbers)

Figure 2

Table 3. Metabolic syndrome components according to quintiles of unhealthy plant-based diet index (uPDI) scores among South Korean adults*(Odds ratios and 95 % confidence intervals; numbers)

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Kim et al. supplementary material

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