Differing Nutrient Intake and Dietary Patterns According to the Presence of Hyper-Low-Density Lipoprotein Cholesterolemia or Hypertriglyceridemia

Abstract

Dietary choices may have differing effects on low-density lipoprotein cholesterol or triglyceride levels. The aim of this study was to investigate daily nutrient intake and dietary patterns of individuals with hyper-low-density lipoprotein cholesterolemia (hLDL) and hypertriglyceridemia (hTG) in a large Korean population-based study using propensity score (PS) matching. This study used data from the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. Propensity score values for the predicted probability of patients with hLDL or hTG were estimated using logistic regression analysis, with age, sex, body mass index, alcohol consumption, smoking status, physical activity status, hypertension, and diabetes. After PS matching, intake of carbohydrates (%) was significantly lower (p = 0.021), and intake of fats (%) and saturated fatty acids (%) was significantly higher in the hLDL group than in the non-hLDL group (p = 0.025 and p = 0.013, respectively). The percentage of individuals with a high score for the Korean Healthy Eating Index (KHEI) "whole grains" or "saturated fatty acids" components was higher in the non-hLDL group than in the hLDL group (p < 0.05 for both). Dietary sodium/potassium ratio was significantly higher in the hTG than in the non-hTG (p = 0.049). Our results suggest that individualized dietary information and counseling require consideration of a person's specific lipid levels.

Keywords: Korean Health Eating Index; low-density lipoprotein cholesterol; nutrition; triglyceride.

Figure 1

Study flow chart. KNHANES, Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey; LDL, low-density lipoprotein.

Figure 2

Percentages of participants in different categories for various Korean Healthy Eating Index components. Each Korean Healthy Eating Index component was categorized into three groups: low score: 0 ≤ score < 4, middle score: 4 ≤ score < 7, and high score: ≥7 points. p-values were calculated using the chi-squared test. (A) Percentages for each category of “whole grains” and “saturated fatty acids” scores in participants with or without hyper-LDL cholesterolemia. (B) Percentages for each category of “having breakfast” and “milk and dairy products” scores in participants with or without hypertriglyceridemia.