The Quality of a Traditional Dietary Pattern in Relation to Metabolic Syndrome in Elderly South Koreans

Dietary Pattern Extraction Using Natural Language Processing Techniques

In this study, we observed the changes in dietary patterns among Korean adults in the previous decade. We evaluated dietary intake using 24-h recall data from the fourth (2007–2009) and seventh (2016–2018) Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. Machine learning-based methodologies were used to extract these dietary patterns. Particularly, we observed three dietary patterns from each survey similar to the traditional and Western dietary patterns in 2007–2009 and 2016–2018, respectively. Our results reveal a considerable increase in the number of Western dietary patterns compared with the previous decade. Thus, our study contributes to the use of novel methods using natural language processing (NLP) techniques for dietary pattern extraction to obtain more useful dietary information, unlike the traditional methodology.

Alleviation of Dyslipidemia via a Traditional Balanced Korean Diet Represented by a Low Glycemic and Low Cholesterol Diet in Obese Women in a Randomized Controlled Trial

A traditional balanced Korean diet (K-diet) may improve energy, glucose, and lipid metabolism. To evaluate this, we conducted a randomized crossover clinical trial, involving participants aged 30–40 years, who were randomly assigned to two groups—a K-diet or westernized Korean control diet daily, with an estimated energy requirement (EER) of 1900 kcal. After a 4-week washout period, they switched the diet and followed it for 4 weeks. The carbohydrate, protein, and fat ratios based on energy intake were close to the target values for the K-diet (65:15:20) and control diet (60:15:25). The glycemic index of the control diet and the K-diet was 50.3 ± 3.6 and 68.1 ± 2.9, respectively, and daily cholesterol contents in the control diet and K-diet were 280 and 150 mg, respectively. Anthropometric and biochemical parameters involved in energy, glucose, and lipid metabolism were measured while plasma metabolites were determined using UPLC-QTOF-MS before and after the 4-week intervention. After the four-week intervention, both diets improved anthropometric and biochemical variables, but the K-diet significantly reduced them compared to the control diet. Serum total cholesterol, non-high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, and triglyceride concentrations were significantly lower in the K-diet group than in the control diet group. The waist circumference (p = 0.108) and insulin resistance index (QUICKI, p = 0.089) tended to be lower in the K-diet group than in the control diet group. Plasma metabolites indicated that participants in the K-diet group tended to reduce insulin resistance compared to those in the control diet group. Amino acids, especially branched-chain amino acids, tyrosine, tryptophan, and glutamate, and L-homocysteine concentrations were considerably lower in the K-diet group than in the control diet group (p < 0.05). Plasma glutathione concentrations, an index of antioxidant status, and 3-hydroxybutyric acid concentrations, were higher in the K-diet group than in the control diet group. In conclusion, a K-diet with adequate calories to meet EER alleviated dyslipidemia by decreasing insulin resistance-related amino acids and increasing ketones in the circulation of obese women.

Sarcopenia in relation to nutrition and lifestyle factors among middle-aged and older Korean adults with obesity

PURPOSE

To examine the prevalence of sarcopenic obesity (SO) and its association with nutrition and lifestyle factors.

METHODS

Data from the 2008-2011 Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey for 3937 Korean individuals aged 40 years or older with obesity defined by the modified Asia-Pacific criteria (BMI ≥ 25 kg/m²) were used. Sarcopenia was defined as an appendicular skeletal muscle mass divided by weight (%) of < 1 SD below the sex-specific mean for young adults. Logistic regression models were used for the associations controlling covariates.

RESULTS

The prevalence of SO was 52.5%. The SO group had insufficient energy intake, protein, and antioxidant micronutrients, a lower overall dietary quality, a lower physical activity, and higher rates of negative psychological factors than the non-sarcopenic obesity group (p < 0.05). After controlling for covariates, having high mean adequacy ratio scores which was calculated by averaging the sum of the nutrient adequacy ratios had a 94% lower prevalence of SO in the older individuals. Low participation in aerobic exercises had a 74% higher prevalence of SO in the older aged group, and high participation in flexibility exercises had a 11% lower prevalence of SO in the middle-aged group. Interestingly, negative psychological factors were found only in the middle-aged adults with SO (p < 0.05).

CONCLUSION

Sarcopenia was present in over half of the middle-aged and older Korean adults with obesity. Having high dietary quality, increased physical activity, and positive psychological health were associated with a low prevalence of SO.