Yun Jung Lee, SuJin Song, YoonJu Song
Journal: Yonsei medical journal 2018;59(7):834-842
PMID: 30091316
A global increase in the prevalence of metabolic disease has led to a reassessment of healthy dietary patterns. Recent analyses have found low carbohydrate diets, primarily those with focus on a low glycaemic index, to improve metabolic function. The aim of this study was to evaluate the high-carbohydrate and low-fat dietary pattern, typical among Asian countries, and its association to metabolic diseases. This cross-sectional study included 13016 participants from the Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHANES). Although overall carbohydrate consumption was high, approximately 60% of subjects had no whole grain consumption, elucidating the high dependence on refined grains in the typical Asian diet. This study found a positive association of dietary carbohydrate with metabolic disease attributed to the very-high carbohydrate diet typical in the Korean population. The authors conclude that optimum macronutrient intakes and food patterns should be explored for each country to reduce the prevalence of metabolic diseases. Further studies are required for Asian countries to better understand the role of refined carbohydrates in the progression of metabolic disease.
PURPOSE
Although an Asian diet is typically high in carbohydrate and low in fat, there has been a steady increase in the rate of cardiometabolic disease in Asian countries over the past decade. We evaluated food patterns of a high-carbohydrate diet and examined their associations with metabolic disease.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
Using data from the 2013-2015 Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, we included a total of 13106 subjects aged 20 years or older in this study. Diet was divided into seven groups according to the percentage of energy from carbohydrates. Food patterns were evaluated as individual servings per food group. Multivariate logistic regression was conducted to estimate odds ratios (OR) for metabolic disease.
RESULTS
The proportions of men and women exceeding the recommended range of carbohydrate intake were 58.0% and 60.0%, respectively. A higher carbohydrate diet was associated with intake of low energy and saturated fats, with more grains and fruit, but less meat, fish, egg, bean (MFEB), and dairy consumption. Carbohydrate intake decreased by 3.0-3.4% per serving of MFEB and milk. In men, the highest carbohydrate group showed an OR of 1.35 [95% confidence interval (CI), 0.91 to 1.99] for metabolic syndrome, although this failed to show statistical significance. In women, the highest carbohydrate group had an OR of 1.38 (95% CI, 1.06 to 1.80) for a reduced level of high-density lipoprotein cholesterol.
CONCLUSION
This study suggests that a very-high-carbohydrate diet for the Korean population is attributable to lower consumption of MFEB and dairy products and is associated with several metabolic risk factors. The appropriate distribution of macronutrients for the prevention and management of metabolic disease should be explored.
© Copyright: Yonsei University College of Medicine 2018.
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