Association between dietary patterns and obesity: a longitudinal prospective cohort study

Area of Science:

• Nutrition Science
• Public Health
• Epidemiology

Background:

• South Korea's obesity prevalence was 38.4% in 2021.
• The nation faces unique weight management challenges due to its aging society.
• Understanding dietary patterns is crucial for effective obesity prevention strategies.

Purpose of the Study:

• To identify daily dietary patterns in the general Korean population.
• To investigate the association between these dietary patterns and obesity.
• To inform public health guidelines for weight management.

Main Methods:

• A longitudinal prospective cohort study of 6,539 Korean adults (aged 40+) was conducted.
• Dietary intake was assessed using a food frequency questionnaire.
• Dietary patterns were analyzed using k-means cluster analysis over an 11-year follow-up.

Main Results:

• Consuming multigrain rice with kimchi was associated with a lower risk of obesity (waist circumference and body fat percentage).
• Dairy product consumption was linked to reduced incidence of obesity defined by BMI, waist circumference, and waist-to-hip ratio.
• These associations were observed after adjusting for confounding factors in multivariate analysis.

Conclusions:

• A diet incorporating multigrain rice, fermented kimchi, and dairy products is associated with decreased obesity risk in Korean adults.
• Public health policies should consider these dietary recommendations for obesity prevention across all age groups.
• Further research into synergistic food effects within dietary patterns is warranted.