Dietary pattern classifications with nutrient intake and health-risk factors in Korean men

ObjectiveThis study was performed to identify dietary patterns in Korean men and to determine the associations among dietary patterns, nutrient intake, and health-risk factors.MethodsUsing baseline data from the Korean Health and Genome Study, dietary patterns were identified using factor analysis of data from a validated food-frequency questionnaire, and associations between these dietary patterns and health-risk factors were analyzed.ResultsThree dietary patterns were identified: 1) the “animal-food” pattern (greater intake of meats, fish, and dairy products), 2) the “rice–vegetable” pattern (greater intake of rice, tofu, kimchi, soybean paste, vegetables, and seaweed), and 3) the “noodle–bread” pattern (greater intake of instant noodles, Chinese noodles, and bread). The animal-food pattern (preferred by younger people with higher income and education levels) had a positive correlation with obesity and hypercholesterolemia, whereas the rice–vegetable pattern (preferred by older people with lower income and educational levels) was positively associated with hypertension. The noodle–bread pattern (also preferred by younger people with higher income and education levels) had a positive association with abdominal obesity and hypercholesterolemia.ConclusionThis study identifies three unique dietary patterns in Korean men, which are independently associated with certain health-risk factors. The rice–vegetable dietary pattern, modified for a low sodium intake, might be a healthy dietary pattern for Korean men.