Dietary carbohydrate and fat intakes are differentially associated with lipid abnormalities in Korean adults

A high prevalence of metabolic syndrome along with increasing rates of low high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) and elevated triglycerides (TGs) is shown in Korean adults. Little is known about the associations between macronutrient intake and lipid abnormalities in the Asian population, whose major energy source is carbohydrates.

We examined the associations of dietary carbohydrate and fat intakes with lipid abnormalities in Korean adults.

A total of 14,301 adults (5715 men and 8586 women) aged ≥30 years with no diagnosis and treatment for diabetes, hypertension, or dyslipidemia were selected from the 2008 to 2012 Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey data. From the 24-hour recall data, dietary carbohydrate and fat intakes were estimated. Multivariate logistic regression was used to estimate odds ratios for lipid abnormalities, that is, elevated total cholesterol (TC), low HDL-C, high TC to HDL-C ratio, elevated non-HDL-C, elevated LDL cholesterol (LDL-C), and elevated TG across quintiles of dietary carbohydrate and fat intakes.

Percentage of energy from carbohydrate was positively associated with elevated TG and low HDL-C but inversely associated with elevated TC and elevated LDL-C in both men and women. Energy-adjusted carbohydrate intake also showed a positive association with low HDL-C. Dietary fat intakes had the opposite associations with lipid abnormalities than results for carbohydrate.

High carbohydrate diet is undesirable with regard to increased TG and reduced HDL-C despite the benefit for LDL-C. Dietary strategies emphasizing appropriate macronutrient intakes by the type of lipid abnormalities are recommended for the prevention of cardiovascular disease in Korean adults.