Dietary pattern classifications with nutrient intake and body composition changes in Korean elderly.

Area of Science:

• Gerontology
• Nutritional Science
• Public Health

Background:

• Aging is associated with body composition changes, increasing metabolic disorder risk.
• Dietary pattern analysis is crucial for understanding chronic disease correlations, overcoming single-nutrient study limitations.
• Complex nutrient interactions necessitate holistic dietary pattern research.

Purpose of the Study:

• To classify dietary patterns among Korean elderly.
• To investigate the relationship between identified dietary patterns and body composition in Korean elderly (≥65 years).

Main Methods:

• Cluster analysis was used to classify dietary patterns.
• Data from 1,435 Korean elderly participants from the 2011 Korean National Health Examination and Nutrition Survey (KNHANES) were analyzed.
• Logistic analysis explored associations between dietary patterns and body composition metrics.

Main Results:

• Three distinct dietary patterns emerged: 'Traditional Korean' (37.49%), 'Meat and Alcohol' (19.65%), and 'Westernized Korean' (42.86%).
• The 'Meat and Alcohol' pattern correlated with a 50% increased risk of elevated BMI compared to the 'Traditional Korean' pattern.
• The 'Westernized Korean' pattern was linked to a 74% increased abnormality in appendicular skeletal muscle mass to weight ratio (ASM/Wt).
• The 'Traditional Korean' pattern, despite its prevalence, was characterized by low protein, calcium, and vitamin D intake, and low appendicular skeletal muscle mass (ASM).

Conclusions:

• The 'Traditional Korean' dietary pattern is associated with inadequate intake of essential nutrients like protein, calcium, and vitamin D.
• Low intake of these nutrients contributes to reduced appendicular skeletal muscle mass (ASM) in Korean elderly.
• Increasing protein, calcium, and vitamin D consumption is recommended to improve body composition and health outcomes in aging Korean adults.