Diet and lipid-lowering drug use among people with dyslipidemia in Korea

Obesity and diet contribute to the development of hypercholesterolemia; therefore, controlling blood lipid concentration through diet is essential. To understand the role of diet in controlling blood lipid concentration, we evaluated the food and nutrient intakes, anthropometry, and blood lipid concentrations of adults with dyslipidemia with or without lipid-lowering drug use.

For this crosssectional study, three-year data were obtained from the 6th-7th Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (2015-2017). Patients with dyslipidemia were categorized as users (1,734) or nonusers (856) of lipidlowering drugs.

Age, education level, marital status, self-reported health status, hypertension, diabetes, and alcohol intake were significantly different between users and nonusers (p<0.05). Multiple logistic regression analysis revealed a significant association between hypertension and diabetes and blood cholesterol status among users. Total cholesterol, triglycerides, and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol were significantly lower in users than in nonusers. During the study period, intake of saturated fatty acids increased significantly among users and nonusers, and intakes of vitamins A and C decreased significantly with potential detrimental health effects. However, intakes of n-3 fatty acids and dietary fiber significantly increased in users and nonusers with potential health benefits. Intakes of vegetables and fish significantly increased in users. No associations were observed between intakes of nuts, fruits, or vegetables and blood cholesterol status.

Changes in personal behaviors of dyslipidemic patients need reinforcement for effective blood lipid management, particularly for optimal food intake patterns, whether lipid-lowering drug users or nonusers.