Association between different types of plant-based diet and dyslipidaemia in Korean adults

This study investigated the association between the different types of plant-based diets and dyslipidaemia in Korean adults using data from the nationally representative sample. Using the 2012–2016 Korea National Health and Nutrition Survey data, a total of 14 167 adults (≥19 years old) participated in this study. Dietary intake was assessed by a semi-quantitative FFQ. Three different plant-based diet indices (overall plant-based diet index (PDI), healthful plant-based diet index (hPDI), unhealthful plant-based diet index (uPDI)), were calculated. Dyslipidaemia and its components (hypertriacylglycerolaemia, hypercholesterolaemia, low HDL-cholesterol, high LDL-cholesterol, use of anti-hyperlipidaemia agent) were measured. Multivariable logistic regression analysis was used to examine the associations between plant-based diet and dyslipidaemia and individual lipid disorders. Totally, 47% of overall population had dyslipidaemia. Individual in the highest quintile of uPDI had 22% greater odds of dyslipidaemia (95 % CI 1·05, 1·41) and 48 % higher odds of hypertriacylglycerolaemia (95 % CI 1·21, 1·81) and 16% higher odds of low HDL-cholesterol (OR: 1·16, 95 % CI 1·00, 1·35) than those in the lowest quintile of uPDI. PDI was associated with 16 % higher odds of low HDL-cholesterol, and hPDI was associated with 25% lower odds of high LDL-cholesterol. However, neither PDI nor hPDI was significantly associated with the prevalence of dyslipidaemia. Greater adherence to unhealthful plant-based diets was associated with greater odds of the dyslipidaemia and its components suggesting the importance of the quality of plant-based diet in South Korean adults for dyslipidaemia prevention.