This study aimed to determine the association between household types and healthy dietary practices among Korean adults. A cross-sectional analysis was performed using nationwide data on 23,488 participants from the 2017-2021 Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHANES). Based on self-reported data, the participant household types were classified into single- and multi-person households. The adjusted odds ratios (AORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for healthy dietary practices according to household types were calculated by applying multivariable logistic regression analysis after adjusting for confounders. Of total, 11.21% and 88.79% were single- and multi-person households, respectively. Compared with individuals living in multi-person households, those in single-person households had lower odds of adhering to healthy dietary practices (AOR: 0.88, 95% CI: 0.79-0.98) and consuming adequate saturated fatty acids (<7% of energy) (AOR: 0.78, 95% CI: 0.69-0.88). In addition, men and individuals aged 65 years living in single-person households exhibited lower odds of consuming adequate saturated fatty acids and 500 g of fruit and vegetables per day than those in multi-person households. Single-person households often find it a challenge to practice a healthy diet. Hence, nutritional policies and educational support that help individuals living alone consume healthier diets are warranted.

Considering that the number of middle-aged single-person households is increasing, this study investigates dietary behaviors, nutrient intake, and mental health according to household type. Data were procured from the 2015-2019 Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHANES). Totally, 5,466 participants aged 50-64 years were classified into 2 groups: a household with one member was defined as a single-person household, and households with two or more members were described as multi-person households. Single-person households comprised 10.63% of the total, with a higher average age, and lower income and economic levels than multi-person households. Compared to multiperson households, single-person households had a higher frequency of skipping breakfast, eating alone, and dining out, the moderately and severely food insecure group was more than 5 times, and nutrient intake and dietary quality were poorer. In the fully adjusted model, the odds ratios (ORs) of depressive symptoms were 2.35 times (95% CI: 1.39-3.96), and suicide ideation was 1.95 times (95% CI: 1.35-2.82) in single-person compared to multi-person households. Our results lead us to conclude that poor dietary intake in middle-aged single-person households affects the mental health, and the above factors should be considered when framing the dietary policy.

We performed a study to examine the association between diet quality and nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). Our study included 3,586 women aged 40-64 years who participated in the sixth Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. The study subjects were classified into the NAFLD group (n=816) and the normal group (n=2,770) using the hepatic steatosis index. The anthropometric indices, blood profiles, and dietary intake data of the subjects were obtained. The waist circumference, body mass index, and the serum levels of triglycerides, fasting blood sugar, HbA1c, and systolic and diastolic blood pressures were higher in the NAFLD compared to the normal groups (p<0.001, respectively). The intakes of protein (g/kg body weight, p<0.001), potassium (p<0.001), and vitamin A (p=0.006) were significantly lower in the NAFLD group. It was observed that the higher the total Korean Healthy Eating Index score, the lower the risk of NAFLD. A reverse relationship was shown between the NAFLD risk and the intakes of total fruits, total vegetables, vegetables excluding Kimchi and pickled vegetables, meat, fish, eggs and beans. Therefore, it is recommended that middleaged women in Korea increase their intakes of fruits, vegetables, and foods high in protein for the proper management of NAFLD.

In Korea, reliable and affordable individual health information is obtained through national health examinations, which can be actively utilized in community health services based on examination data. The purpose of this study is to analyze national health examination data in order to identify the health behavior and health status of the elderly, and to incorporate the examination results into home visiting healthcare services provided at health centers. Methods: This study is a cross-sectional survey that analyzed the national health examination data of 2018 using the National Health Insurance Service-National Health Information Database. Data analysis was conducted using the SAS program. The overall results of the health examinations were presented in terms of frequency and percentage. Results: The national health examination rate was 72.6%, and 97% of the examinees had health needs such as improving health behavior and managing diseases. It was found that 52.2% of patients had high blood pressure, followed by diabetes and dyslipidemia. The health data generated from the national health examination includes information relevant to home visiting healthcare services. Conclusion: By utilizing health data generated from national health examinations, the process of collecting data in home visiting healthcare services can be simplified. By focusing on providing customized services, it will be possible to increase the efficiency of home visiting healthcare services.

The labor environment in Korea has changed and problems related to employment types are treated as important issues. Especially, the ratio of irregular workers has not only increased relatively, but the labor conditions in Korea also have worsened in the current years. Studies have reported an association between temporary workers and the prevalence of diseases. However, there is insufficient research on chronic disease and employment types. Methods: The current study examines the prevalence rate of diseases and health behavior by categorizing employment types among Korean adults. Data were obtained from the 2016-2018 Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. Totally, the data of 2,366 workers (1,239 regular and 1,127 irregular) were analyzed in the study. The types of employment were classified by a questionnaire querying about working conditions. The results showed that irregular workers earned less than regular workers and had a significantly higher prevalence of diabetes mellitus and hypertension. We propose that if discrimination related to working conditions were relieved, irregular workers would be able to invest more time to exercise and doing check-ups regularly. In addition, individual nutrition consultations considering the knowledge and personal environmental factors of each individual are necessary for the improved health of all workers.

In this study, we aimed to explore whether eating alone is associated with mental health conditions in Korean adolescents. The data of 2,012 Korean adolescents aged 12-18 years were obtained from the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2015–2019. Participants were classified into three groups based on the frequency of eating alone: none (all meals with others); 1 meal/day alone; and 2 meals/day alone. Mental health conditions were assessed based on stress recognition, depressive symptoms, and suicidal ideation. Multivariable logistic regressions were employed to calculate the adjusted odds ratios (AORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) of poor mental health conditions according to the frequency of eating alone. Adolescents who ate 2 meals/day alone had higher odds of stress recognition (AOR: 2.65, 95% CI: 1.94- 3.63), depressive symptoms (AOR: 2.55, 95% CI: 1.47-4.42), and suicidal ideation (AOR: 2.53, 95% CI: 1.05-6.08) than those who ate all their meals with others. In addition, having breakfast or dinner alone increased the odds of stress recognition. Considering the continuous increase in the social phenomenon of eating alone, nutritional educations are needed to develop adolescents' ability to choose more nutritionally balanced and healthy meals when eating alone.

This study investigated the potential role of dietary factors associated with obesity and metabolic syndrome (MetS) in Koreans. The scoping review method was used to evaluate the studies that utilized the secondary data sets comprising the Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHANES) and the Korean Genome and Epidemiology Study (KoGES). Articles published between 2012 and 2022 were identified using RISS, KISS, DBpia, PubMed, and ScienceDirect databases. In all, there were 32 published articles on obesity and 119 on MetS. Obesity research included eight articles on nutrients, 12 on food items/food groups, two on dietary patterns, nine on dietary behavior/eating habits, and one on the dietary index. MetS studies comprised 34 articles on nutrients, 43 on food items/food groups, seven on dietary patterns, 25 on dietary behavior/eating habits, and 10 on the dietary index. Carbohydrates, alcohol, and coffee consumption were the most frequently studied dietary factors for obesity and MetS. The primary areas of study were largely focused on nutrients and food items/food groups. Thus, to overcome the paucity of information on the relationship of dietary patterns and dietary indexes with obesity and MetS, there is a need for further research using the KNHANES and KoGES data sets.

This study investigated the association between dietary intake and 10-year risk for CHD predicted from Framingham risk score in Korean adults using the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2019-2020. Eight thousand subjects (3,382 men and 4,618 women) aged 30 years or older were classified into three groups according to the 10-year CHD risk (%). The sociodemographics, anthropometrics indices, blood profiles, and dietary intake were collected. After adjusting for confounding variables, the mean adequacy ratio (MAR) decreased for both men and women as the disease risk increased. The high–risk group was below the MAR criteria, indicating that the overall quality of the meal was not good. The highest consumers of legumes (OR 0.56, 95% CI 0.37-0.84), fruits (OR 0.67, 95% CI 0.48-0.93), and fish (OR 0.60, 95% CI 0.42-0.87) had a 44%, 33%, and 40% lower 10-year CHD risk than lowest consumers in men, respectively. In women, there is no significant relationship between food groups and disease risk. Therefore, improving lifestyle habits such as weight control, increased activity, and adequate food intake, especially legumes, fruits, and fish rich in antioxidant nutrients and bioactive substances, appears to have a potential association with preventing coronary heart disease in Korean adults.

목적 : 본 연구는 소아·청소년의 나트륨 섭취와 굴절 이상 사이의 연관성을 조사하였다. 방법 : 본 연구에서는 2016년 국민건강영양조사에 5~18세 소아·청소년 968명의 데이터를 사용하였다. 나트 륨 섭취량은 24시간 식단 회상에서 식품 항목에 대한 데이터로 측정하였다. 굴절 이상은 우안의 등가구면 굴절력 (SE)을 사용하였다. 잠재적인 교란 요인을 조정한 후 로지스틱 회귀 분석을 사용하여 나트륨 섭취와 굴절 이상 간 의 연관성을 분석하였다. 결과 : 나트륨 섭취량과 굴절 이상은 상관관계가 있었고(p<0.001), 나트륨 섭취가 높을수록 굴절 이상도 함께 높은 것으로 나타났다(p<0.001). 특히 나트륨 섭취량은 근시에서 유의하게 높았다. 잠재적인 교란 요인을 보정한 후 다변량 로지스틱 회귀 분석에서 높은 나트륨 섭취가 근시 위험 증가와 유의하게 관련이 있는 것으로 나타났다 (OR 1.62; 95% CI 1.12-2.33, p=0.010). 결론 : 국내 소아·청소년의 나트륨 섭취와 굴절 이상 사이에 유의한 연관성이 있는 것으로 나타났다. 또한, 높 은 나트륨 섭취량은 근시와 관련이 있는 것으로 나타났다.

목적: 국민건강영양조사 제7기(2016-2018) 원시자료를 이용하여 황반변성에 영향을 줄 수 있는 만성질환을 파악 하고자 수행되었다. 방법 : 국민건강영양조사 제7기(2016-2018) 자료 중 40세 이상의 성인 중에 황반변성 진단여부에 응답한 4,356명의 대상으로 만성질환과의 관계를 분석하였으며, p<0.05인 경우 유의한 것으로 판단하였다. 결과 : 황반변성은 연령에 따라 유병률이 높아졌는데, 연령과 관계된 만성질환 중 심근경색증에서만 유의한 결 과를 얻을 수 있었다. 또한, 심근경색증의 위험요인인 이상지질혈증과 이상지질혈증을 일으키는 고콜레스테롤혈증 도 황반변성과 관계가 있는 것으로 나타났다. 결론 : 황반변성은 연령과 관련된 만성질환 중 심근경색증, 이상지질혈증, 고콜레스테롤혈증과 관련이 있음을 확인하였다.

목적 : 본 연구는 40세 이상 한국 성인의 수면시간과 안구건조의 관련성을 알아보기 위해 시행하였다. 방법 : 국민건강영양조사 제7기에 참가한 성인 16,119명 중 성인 2,506명을 대상으로 하였다. 수집된 자료는 복합표본설계방법으로 평균, 표준 편차, t-검정을 분석하였다. 수면시간과 안구건조의 연관성은 카이제곱으로 분석하였다. 일반적 특성이 안구건조에 영향을 분석하기 위해 로지스틱 회귀 분석하였다. 성별, 연령, 학력, 가구소득, 직업, 근무시간대, 체질량지수, 흡연, 음주 등의 변수를 통제하였다. 결과 : 분석 결과 전체 수면시간은 7시간이었다. 수면시간과 안구건조는 관련이 있는 것으로 나타났다. 안구건조에 영향을 미치는 요인을 로지스틱 회귀분석 한 결과 안구건조는 7시간보다 5시간 이하에서 증가하였다(OR 1.93[95% CI: 1.38-2.71]). 안구건조는 남성보다 여성에서 증가하였다. 저체중보다 비만에서 증가하였으며(OR 1.89[95% CI: 1.11-3.19]), 음주에서 주 4회 이상이면 안구건조가 증가하였다(OR 2.43[95% CI: 1.42-4.16]). 결론 : 안구건조와 수면시간과의 연관성을 확인하였다. 그러므로 적절한 수면시간으로 안구건조를 예방해야 할 것이다.

Unhealthy dietary behavior such as insufficient calcium intake can be one of risk factors of osteoporosis and chronic diseases in older people. This study evaluated the recent trends in dietary calcium intake and the food source in Korean adults aged 50 years or older using the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHANES, 2015-2019) data. This study used 24-hour recall survey data to investigate the calcium intake, the major food groups and main dishes contributing to the calcium intake. The mean calcium intake was 479.55-506.81 mg/day. The major food groups that contribute to calcium intake were vegetables, milks and fishes. Dairy and frozen desserts and kimchi were the major dish groups that contributed to the calcium intake. Calcium intake from milk in dairy and frozen dessert group has been high in last 5 years (50-64 years old: 34.71-47.68 mg, 65-74 years old: 29.72-43.65 mg, over 75 years old: 22.91-42.93 mg). In addition, baechu-kimchi is the most contributed to the calcium intake in kimchi group (50-64 years old: 35.10-41.47 mg, 65-74 years old: 29.62-34.96 mg, over 75 years old: 23.79-29.13 mg). In conclusion, various source of calcium needs to be recommended to increase intake calcium in over 50 years, which may reduce chronic diseases and improve quality of life.

This study examined the nutrient intake of Korean adults by considering the lunch type, categorized as home meals (HM), eating out (EO), and institutional meals (IM). Data was obtained from the 2019 Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHANES). Totally, 3,786 adults (1,643 men, and 2,143 women) aged between 19-64 years were included in the study. Subjects with daily energy intake of less than 500 kcal or over 5,000 kcal, and those who skipped lunch, were excluded. The percentage of subjects in the HM, EO, and IM were 31.9, 53.6, and 14.4%, respectively. The daily energy intakes of the HM, EO, and IM groups were determined to be 2,185, 2,360, and 2,339 kcal, respectively, in men, and 1,622, 1,731, and 1,741 kcal, respectively, in women. Among the three groups, men in the EO group had more intake of fat, saturated fat, cholesterol, sodium, and riboflavin, and less dietary fiber, and whereas women consumed more fat and less dietary fiber and potassium. In the IM group, the men consumed more dietary fiber, potassium, and thiamine, whereas consumption of carbohydrate, unsaturated fatty acid, sodium, potassium, and thiamine was more in women. Energy contributions of carbohydrate, protein, and fat were all within the AMDR (acceptable macronutrient distribution ranges) for all lunch types, except for the percent of energy provided from saturated fat in EO (7.4% in men, and 8.2% in women). Our results indicate that the dietary habit of frequently eating out increases the fat intake, thereby resulting in increased health risks for adults. Thus, implementation of a nutritional education program to encourage balanced dietary habits is required to improve the nutritional status of individuals eating out.

This study investigates the relationship between vitamin C intake and obesity prevalence among Korean adults. Based on data of the Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (2016-2017), a total of 1,356 participants were included in this analysis. Increasing the dietary vitamin C intake resulted in a significantly decreased occurrence of BMI obesity prevalence (p for trend=0.0194) and WC obesity prevalence (p for trend=0.0452). Moreover, increasing the dietary vitamin C intake of Korean adults having a high frequency of eating breakfast resulted in significantly decreased BMI obesity prevalence (p for trend=0.0406) and WC obesity prevalence (p for trend=0.0432). Among the Korean adults who ate out frequently, decreased BMI obesity prevalence was determined with increased intakes of dietary vitamin C (p for trend=0.0193) and total vitamin C (food and dietary supplements) (p for trend=0.0429), whereas significant decrease in WC obesity prevalence was observed with increased dietary vitamin C intake (p for trend=0.0484). Our results provide conclusive evidence that consumption of dietary vitamin C is associated with obesity prevalence in Korean adults, according to their habits of eating breakfast and frequency of eating out.

The intake of processed foods containing high levels of sugar increases the incidence of chronic diseases, including obesity, diabetes, and metabolic syndrome. Limiting sugar intake is important for a healthy life at all ages. Therefore, this study analyzed food sources and sugar intake by the different age groups based on the 7th Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHANES). We used 24-hour recall survey data to investigate the daily sugar intake and the major food groups and main dishes contributing to sugar intake. The mean sugar intake was 58.9-66.8 g/day. The three major food groups contributing to sugar intake were fruits (15.2-19.9 g/day), beverages (10.7-12.4 g/day), and milk and milk products (7.6-7.8 g/day). Teas and other non-alcoholic beverages (14.7-17.3 g/day), fruits (12.5-16.2 g/day), and dairy products (7.0-7.6 g/day) were the major food groups that contributed to the sugar intake. Carbonated drinks, apples, and milk were the top sources of sugar intake in each group. In conclusion, the sugar intake of Koreans is mainly from carbonated drinks, fruits, and milk. These results provided the basic data for nutrition education and nutrition program development according to the different age groups of the Korean population.

Although fine dust pollution in Korea is increasing, there is no information regarding nutritional standards for fine dustrelated disease patients. This study analyzed the food and nutrient intake status in adult men with disease associated with fine dust in the area with the increased level of fine dust pollution using the sixth and seventh Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (2013-2017). The daily intakes, and average nutrient adequacy ratio (NAR) and mean adequacy ratio (MAR) values of energy were significantly increased in the control group compared with patient groups. Compared with the control group, protein, fat and cholesterol intakes were significantly increased in the patient groups. Daily intakes of cereals and grain products in the control group were increased, whereas seasoning intake was decreased in the control group compared with patient groups. The patient groups had low daily water and vitamin B1 intakes, and the niacin intake of patient groups was significantly lower than that of the control group. Nutrition density and nutritional quality of vitamin C were significantly reduced in patient groups. This study can be used as basic data for nutrition education that emphasizes sufficient calorie, water and antioxidant vitamin intakes for patients related to fine dust pollution.

This study was conducted to examine the status of food consumption and nutrition intake of young adults according to food security using data from the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHANES) (2008~2018). A total of 10,655 young adults aged 19~34 years participated in the study. The subjects in the moderately/severely food insecure group consumed less fruits, vegetables, meat, nuts and seeds than those in food secure/mildly food insecure group after adjusting for confounding factors. The moderately/severely food insecure group significantly decreased mean adequacy ratio (MAR) and nutrient adequacy ratio (NAR) for protein, vitamin A, riboflavin, niacin, vitamin C, calcium, phosphorus and iron compared to the food secure/ mildly food insecure group. The percentages of the participants consuming a daily diet with carbohydrate, protein, vitamin A, thiamin, riboflavin, niacin, vitamin C, phosphorus and iron less than the estimated average requirement (EAR) increased in the moderately/severely food insecure group compared with the food secure group. This study suggested that the nutrition intake of young adults was related to food security status. These findings can be used as basic data for developing nutritional policies for young adults.

This study was conducted to investigate the intake status of beverages and water in Korean adults using data from the 8th National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. The ‘total water’ intake was 2,250.6 g for men and 1,871.2 g for women. Men and women consumed an average of 314.9 g of ‘total beverages’, of which ‘coffee’ was the largest at 107.5 g, followed by ‘others’(65.4 g), ‘milk’ (44.8 g), ‘soda’ (44.1 g), ‘teas’ (20.9 g), and ‘fruits and vegetables’ (18.5 g). The intake of ’plain water’ was 1,059.9 g, and the intake of ’water from food’ consumed was 547.3 g. The ‘total water’ intake decreased with increasing age in males and females (p<0.001). Both men and women showed a tendency toward increased ‘total water’ intake as income levels increased. ‘Plain water’ intake accounted for 51.4% of the ‘total water’ intake in males and females. The intake of all nutrients significantly increased from the Q1 group to the Q4 group by quartile ranges of total water intake. The results of this study showed that the intake of healthy water should be considered, and care and educational programs are needed, especially for older people, to ensure adequate water intake.

Diet is important for muscle health and offers a protective effects against the loss of skeletal muscle mass and physical functions with advancing age. We analyzed the relationship between diet, metabolic disease risk, and sarcopenia in Korean female adults using the 2009-2011 Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHANES). A total of 2038 adult women aged 50-64 years were classified into four groups based on the diagnosis of menopause and sarcopenia. The groups were the non-menopause and non-sarcopenia group (NMNS, n=249), the non-menopause and sarcopenia group (NMS, n=14), the menopause and non-sarcopenia group (MNS, n=1,653), and the menopause and sarcopenia group (MS, n=122). The socio-demographics, anthropometrics, blood profile, and dietary data of the subjects were collected. Those who were in both the sarcopenia groups were more obese (p<0.001), had greater waist circumferences (p<0.001), higher body mass index (p<0.001), and higher obesity rates (p<0.001) after adjustment for covariants. Both the sarcopenia groups also had higher plasma levels of total cholesterol (p<0.001), HbA1c (p=0.001), and vitamin D (p=0.020) than both the non-sarcopenia groups. Both the sarcopenia groups demonstrated a decreased intake of calcium (p=0.05), potassium (p=0.008), and niacin (p=0.008) than both the non-sarcopenia ones. Among the four groups, the NMS group showed the highest levels of total cholesterol, obesity, and lowest intake of micronutrients such as calcium, niacin, and potassium. Thus, muscle mass maintenance through weight control and adequate nutrient intake appears to demonstrate a potential association with preventing sarcopenia in Korean middle-aged women.

The purpose of this study was to compare the differences in the quality of dietary and life across age groups of Korean adults. According to life cycle, four age groups (20~29, 30~49, 50~64, ≥65) were created. Anthropometric indices showed significant differences according to age group (p<0.001). Energy intake significantly decreased according to age group as a result of decreased protein and fat intake (p<0.001). The intake levels of minerals, vitamins, and dietary fiber per 1,000 kcal were the lowest in the 20~29 age group (p<0.001). Whereas saturated fatty acids, MUFA, and PUFA intake levels were the highest for those in the 20~29 age group (p<0.001). The quality of dietary (DQI-I) increased with age group, but the quality of life (EQ-5D index) decreased (p<0.001). The quality of dietary showed 5.8% explanation power on the quality of life (p<0.001). Additionally, diet moderation was shown as having a negative effect, but the diversity and balance of diets had a positive effect on the quality of life. By age group, the relationship between quality of dietary and quality of life was the highest in ≥65 age group. These results suggest that practical dietary education is needed from the 20’s to ensure the quality of healthy life for the elderly.