Nutritional Therapy for Asian Patients at Risk for Atherosclerotic Cardiovascular Disease

Clinical Study of Ultrasonic Extreme Velocity Imaging Pulse Wave Technique in Carotid Elasticity in Patients with Type II Diabetes Mellitus

In this study, extreme velocity ultrasonic imaging pulse wave technology was used to detect the main indices of atherosclerosis such as carotid intima-media thickness (IMT) and carotid elasticity, and biochemical indices such as glycated hemoglobin, blood glucose and blood lipids in one hundred twenty 18–60-year-old patients with type II diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and 120 healthy controls. We analyzed the correlations between carotid elasticity, carotid IMT, and a range of biochemical indices. The results indicated that when the carotid IMT in young and middle-aged patients with T2DM was within the normal range (0.56±0.03 mm), the carotid artery elasticity was abnormal [Pulse wave propagation velocity (PWV)-BS = 7.69± 1.26 m/s; PWV-ES = 8.34±1.51 m/s; P < 0.05]. Additionally, PWV-BS was positively correlated with age, course of the disease, glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c), and fasting blood glucose (FBG) (r = 0.297, 0.377, 0.369, 0.382), and PWV-ES was positively correlated with age, course of the disease, HbA1c, and FBG (r = 0.318, 0.386, 0.392, 0.339). This finding provides a basis for extreme velocity ultrasonic imaging pulse wave technology to become a new method for the early screening of atherosclerosis in patients with T2DM; this is important for timely clinical intervention in patients with T2DM.

Low nutritional status links to the prevalence of pre-metabolic syndrome and its cluster in metabolically high-risk Korean adults: A cross-sectional study

Diet plays a crucial role as a modifiable risk factor related to the development of metabolic syndrome (MetS) and its cluster. Constitution type of traditional Korean medicine has shown accuracy to predict the risk for MetS. We attempted to examine the association between nutritional status, pre-MetS, and its cluster in Korean adults by their constitution type.Participants aged 30 to 55 years who had no cancer or cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) were assigned to join in the present study. Pre-MetS was defined as ≥2 of the following factors: abdominal obesity; elevated triglycerides (TG); reduced high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C); elevated blood pressure (BP); and elevated fasting plasma glucose (FPG). Constitution type was categorized into Tae-Eumin (TE) or non-TE. Dietary assessment of the subjects were surveyed using a short-form of the food frequency questionnaire (FFQ) and the nutrition quotient (NQ), which uses 4 factors, namely, balance, diversity, moderation, and dietary behavior.A total of 986 subjects were evaluated by constitution type with MetS status. Of these subjects, 48.6% had pre-MetS, 89.5% were obese and had the highest waist circumference (WC) in Pre-MetS TE. BP, FPG, TG were higher, while HDL-C was lower, than normal TE or non-TE both in Pre-MetS TE and non-TE. The prevalence of pre-MetS was positively associated with lower status of dietary behavior (odds ratio [ORs]: 2.153, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.179-3.931) while negatively related to higher vegetables and fruits intakes (ORs: 0.594, 95% CI: 0.359-0.983) in TE. Lower status of NQ had about 2 times higher risk of Pre-MetS (ORs: 1.855, 95% CI: 1.018-3.380) and abdominal obesity (ORs: 2.035, 95% CI: 1.097-3.775) in TE compared with higher status of NQ after controlling for covariates.Poor diet was a key contributor to the development of Pre-MetS and abdominal obesity in Korean adults with TE. Customized nutrition care and integrated medicinal approaches are strongly suggested to conduct optimal preventive care for people who are vulnerable to health risk.

Effect of Breakfast Consumption and Meal Time Regularity on Nutrient Intake and Cardiometabolic Health in Korean Adults

Objective

Dietary factors are important contributors to obesity and related metabolic disorders. Few studies have evaluated the impact of dietary habits (e.g., breakfast consumption frequency and meal regularity) on metabolic health. We investigated the effects of breakfast consumption frequency and meal time regularity on nutrient intake and cardiometabolic status in Korean adults.

Methods

Participants without diagnosed diseases (n=217) were examined for anthropometric and biochemical parameters, lifestyle, dietary habits, and nutrient intake. They were categorized into 4 groups by breakfast consumption frequency (≥6 or <6 times/week) and meal time regularity (regular or irregular): breakfast ≥6 times/week and regular eating (HBRE), breakfast ≥6 times/week and irregular eating (HBIE), breakfast <6 times/week and regular eating (LBRE) and breakfast <6 times/week and irregular eating (LBIE).

Results

Participants in the LBIE group were the youngest, had higher waist circumference, body mass index, triglyceride levels, and inflammation, and consumed the highest daily total caloric intake (TCI), the highest proportion of fats, and the lowest proportion of carbohydrates. The LBIE group also had the lowest proportion of energy intake at breakfast and the highest proportion at dinner. The LBIE group consumed the lowest amounts of fiber, beta-carotene, vitamin K, folate, calcium and iron, and had the highest prevalence of inadequate nutrient intake for TCI, protein, vitamins A, C, B6, and B12, folate, calcium, iron, zinc, and copper.

Conclusion

Regular breakfast consumption and meal times are related to healthy lifestyle habits and adequate nutrient intake, which affect metabolic health, thereby helping prevent obesity and related metabolic disorders.

Associations of Dietary Intake with Cardiovascular Disease, Blood Pressure, and Lipid Profile in the Korean Population: a Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

OBJECTIVE

Previous studies have separately reported the contributions of dietary factors to the risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD) and its markers, including blood pressure (BP) and lipid profile. This study systematically reviewed the current evidence on this issue in the Korean population.

METHODS

Sixty-two studies from PubMed and Embase were included in this meta-analysis. We performed a random-effects model to analyze pooled odds ratios (ORs) and hazard ratios (HRs) and their 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for the consumption of 14 food items, three macro- and eight micro-nutrients, two dietary patterns, and three dietary indices.

RESULTS

An analysis of pooled effect sizes from at least four individual study populations showed significant associations between coffee consumption and CVD (OR/HR, 0.71; 95% CI, 0.52-0.97) and elevated/high triglycerides (TG) (OR, 0.84; 95% CI, 0.78-0.90), sugar-sweetened beverage intake and elevated BP (OR/HR, 1.20; 95% CI, 1.09-1.33), and milk and dairy intake and elevated/high TG and low high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) (OR/HR, 0.82; 95% CI, 0.76-0.89 for both). Carbohydrate consumption and the low-carbohydrate-diet score were consistently related to an approximately 25% risk reduction for elevated TG and low HDL-C. A lower risk of elevated total cholesterol, but not low-density lipoprotein, was additionally observed for those with a higher low-carbohydrate-diet score. A healthy dietary pattern was only associated with a reduced risk of elevated TG in the Korea National Cancer Screenee Cohort (OR, 0.81; 95% CI, 0.67-0.98).

CONCLUSION

This study showed that milk and dairy and coffee had protective effects for CVD and its risk factors, such as BP and lipid profile, while sugar-sweetened beverages exerted harmful effects.