The traditional korean dietary pattern is associated with decreased risk of metabolic syndrome: Findings from the korean national health and nutrition examination survey, 1998-2009

Kyung Won Lee, Mi Sook Cho

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

34 Scopus citations

Abstract

The traditional Korean diet has several healthy components, including abundant vegetables, fermented foods, a variety of foodstuffs, and a balance of animal and vegetable food intake. Although the traditional Korean diet has many healthy components, few studies have been conducted on the health advantages of the Korean dietary pattern. This study is intended to clarify the relationship between Korean dietary patterns and chronic diseases using the Integrated Korean Dietary Pattern Score (I-KDPS). I-KDPS is an index for measuring Korean dietary patterns based on traditional Korean meals and reflects the complex and multifaceted characteristics of Korean food culture. I-KDPS is composed of seven items to measure the level of balance and adequacy of Korean food consumption, with a maximum score of 60. When I-KDPS was applied to the Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (1998-2009), a nationwide survey, I-KDPS was closely related to the risk of metabolic syndrome. Even though there were a few differences among the years surveyed, the risk of metabolic syndrome, obesity, hypertension, and hypertriglyceridemia significantly decreased as I-KDPS increased. These results indicate that risk of diseases, including metabolic syndrome, decreases in individuals adhering to traditional Korean dietary patterns in adequate levels and those who eat a balanced diet. The result of this study shows that the traditional Korean table setting, which comprises side dishes, including seasoned vegetables, grilled dishes, and fermented products with cooked rice (bap), soup (guk), and kimchi, contains traits that help prevent metabolic syndrome. I-KDPS coupled with the basic study of the healthfulness of the Korean dietary lifestyle is expected to help establish a foundation for continuous development of health promoting Korean foods and dietary culture.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)43-56
Number of pages14
JournalJournal of Medicinal Food
Volume17
Issue number1
DOIs
StatePublished - 1 Jan 2014

Keywords

  • Index analysis
  • Integrated korean dietary pattern score (I-KDPS)
  • Korean dietary pattern
  • Korean food
  • Korean national health and nutrition examination survey (KNHANES)
  • Metabolic syndrome

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