Association of Seaweed Consumption with Metabolic Syndrome and Its Components: Findings from the Korean Genome and Epidemiology Study

This study aimed to investigate the association between seaweed consumption and the odds of developing metabolic syndrome in middle-aged and elderly Koreans. The study included 5777 adults aged 40-69 years from 2001 to 2002 in the Ansan and Ansung cohorts of the Korean Genome and Epidemiology Study. Data on the consumption of seaweed, including laver and kelp/sea mustard, were obtained using a semiquantitative food frequency questionnaire. Multivariable logistic regression models were used to assess the association between seaweed consumption and the odds of developing metabolic syndrome and its components. Women in the highest tertile of laver consumption had lower odds of developing metabolic syndrome than those in the lowest tertile (adjusted odds ratio [AOR]: 0.70; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.54-0.92). Both men and women in the highest tertile of laver consumption had lower odds of abdominal obesity than those in the lowest tertile (AOR: 0.64, 95% CI: 0.42-0.98 for men; AOR: 0.53, 95% CI: 0.39-0.72 for women). These findings suggest that laver consumption is inversely associated with the odds of developing metabolic syndrome and abdominal obesity in Korean adults.

Sex differences in association between body composition and frailty or physical performance in community-dwelling older adults

Frailty is a common geriatric condition due to aging, defined as a decrease in the functional reserve to maintain the homeostasis. As part of the aging process, body composition changes occur. This study investigated the relationship between body composition and frailty in a community-dwelling elderly Korean population.This cross-sectional cohort study analyzed data of 2,385 elderly participants (aged 70-84 years, 1131 males and 1254 females) of the Korean Frailty and Aging Cohort Study from 2016 to 2017. Body composition, including total and trunk fat masses and fat-free mass, were measured with dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry. Fat mass index (FMI), trunk fat mass index, and fat-free mass index (FFMI) represented total fat mass, trunk fat mass, and fat-free mass according to height. Based on the frailty index developed by Fried, we compared the frail and non-frail groups. Poor physical performance assessed with the short physical performance battery score of < 9 is considered frailty. To evaluate the relationship between the variables, simple and fully adjusted multivariable logistic regression analyses were performed according to sex.Among the participants, 462 (19.3%) were defined as the frail group, with a significantly high mean age of 77.9 ± 4.0 years. In the logistic regression analysis of frailty based on body mass index (BMI) categories, underweight (BMI < 18 kg/m2) participants showed a high incidence of frailty in both sexes. BMI showed an association with frailty only in males. Lower FFMI was associated with a higher incidence of frailty in both sexes, which was statistically significant in the fully adjusted models. In the female, fat-related indexes including body fat percentage, FMI, and trunk fat mass index showed a significant association with poor physical performance. In contrast, males with low FFMI only showed a significant association with poor physical performance.Frailty was closely correlated with lower FFMI in both sexes. The poor physical performance associated with frailty correlated with fat-related body composition in females and fat-free mass in males, owing to the difference in body composition between the sexes. In the assessment of frailty, body composition and sex-related differences should be analyzed.

Sociodemographic and Health Characteristics Associated with Metabolic Syndrome in Men and Women Aged ≥50 Years

Background: There are limited studies on the prevalence of and risk factors for metabolic syndrome (MetS) in people aged ≥50 years. This study investigated the sociodemographic and health characteristics related to MetS prevalence in men and women aged ≥50 years to assess clustering of risk factors. Methods: This study used the 2016 survey data of 2927 people aged 50-79 years who were administered questionnaires and underwent examinations. Participants were divided into adults aged 50-64 and 65-79 years and further into four subgroups, according to sex. Differences in sociodemographic and health characteristics by sex were verified using the chi-squared test. Complex sample logistic regression analysis was performed to verify factors related to MetS. Results: The sociodemographic characteristics associated with MetS in men and women aged 50-64 years, included living without a spouse, having a middle school education or less, and reporting a low economic status. The health characteristics associated with MetS in men aged 50-64 years were current smoking status and strength training <2 times/week. The sociodemographic characteristic associated with MetS in women aged 65-79 years was living without a spouse. Hypertriglyceridemia was the risk factor most associated with MetS prevalence. Conclusions: Among men and women aged 50-64 years, living without a spouse, having a low education level, and reporting a low economic status were associated with MetS prevalence. Current smoking status and strength training <2 times/week for men and living without a spouse for women aged 65-79 years were associated with MetS.

[Identifying Latent Classes of Risk Factors for Coronary Artery Disease]

PURPOSE

This study aimed to identify latent classes based on major modifiable risk factors for coronary artery disease.

METHODS

This was a secondary analysis using data from the electronic medical records of 2,022 patients, who were newly diagnosed with coronary artery disease at a university medical center, from January 2010 to December 2015. Data were analyzed using SPSS version 20.0 for descriptive analysis and Mplus version 7.4 for latent class analysis.

RESULTS

Four latent classes of risk factors for coronary artery disease were identified in the final model: 'smoking-drinking', 'high-risk for dyslipidemia', 'high-risk for metabolic syndrome', and 'high-risk for diabetes and malnutrition'. The likelihood of these latent classes varied significantly based on socio-demographic characteristics, including age, gender, educational level, and occupation.

CONCLUSION

The results showed significant heterogeneity in the pattern of risk factors for coronary artery disease. These findings provide helpful data to develop intervention strategies for the effective prevention of coronary artery disease. Specific characteristics depending on the subpopulation should be considered during the development of interventions.

Association of Family Composition and Metabolic Syndrome in Korean Adults Aged over 45 Years Old

PURPOSE

This study investigated the relationship between family composition and the prevalence of metabolic syndrome by gender in Korean adults aged 45 years and older.

METHODS

The sample consisted of 11,291 participants in the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey from 2010 to 2012. We used complex sample analyses, including strata, cluster, and sample weighting, to allow generalization to the Korean population. Complex samples crosstabs and chi-square tests were conducted to compare the percentage of sociodemographic characteristics to the prevalence of metabolic syndrome and its components by gender and family composition. Next, a complex sample logistic regression was performed to examine the association between family composition and the prevalence of metabolic syndrome by gender.

RESULTS

The percentage of adults living alone was 5.6% for men and 13.9% for women. Slightly more women (14.0%) than men (10.1%) reported living with three generations. The percentage of metabolic syndrome in Korean adults aged 45 years and older was 53.2% for men and 35.7% for women. For women, we found that living with one or three generations was significantly associated with a higher risk of metabolic syndrome, blood pressure, and triglyceride abnormality after adjusting for age, education, household income, smoking, physical activity, and body mass index, when compared to living alone. No significant relationships were found for men.

CONCLUSIONS

A national strategy, tailored on gender and family composition, needs to be developed in order to prevent the increase of metabolic syndrome in Korean women over middle age.

Prevalence and correlates of metabolic syndrome and its components in elderly Korean adults

PURPOSE

This study examined the determinants of the prevalence of factors related to five components of metabolic syndrome in the elderly.

METHODS

The study used raw data (2010-2012) from the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey-V. The 3971 study subjects were community-dwelling elderly adults aged over 65years. The criteria for the metabolic syndrome were based on those of the American Heart Association/National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute, and the waist circumference cutoff points for these factors were adapted from the standard suggested by the Korea Society for the Study of Obesity in 2005.

RESULTS

The overall prevalence of metabolic syndrome in Korean elderly adults was 43.6% (35.3% in men and 50.2% in women). Metabolic syndrome was 2.32 times more prevalent in women relative to men (95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.85-2.90, p<0.001), 1.26 times more prevalent in urban, relative to rural, residents (95% CI: 1.09-1.45, p=0.002), 1.43 times more prevalent in ex-smokers (95% CI: 1.14-1.80, p=0.002) and 1.45 times more prevalent in smokers (95% CI: 1.11-1.54, p=0.007) relative to nonsmokers, and 1.16 times more prevalent in sedentary, relative to active, subjects (95% CI: 1.02-1.32, p=0.028).

CONCLUSION

The results indicated that the prevalence of metabolic syndrome in elderly Korean adults was high, suggesting that the prevention and management of metabolic syndrome in the elderly should be addressed via individual components.