Impact of including weekend days on dietary intake patterns in Korean adults with metabolic syndrome: a secondary...

This study examined the impact of including weekend days in 24-hour dietary recalls on dietary intake patterns and investigated associations between dietary intake-analyzed using nutrient- and food-group-based categories-and cardiovascular risk factors in adults with metabolic syndrome (MetS).

A cross-sectional study analyzed data from 185 adults aged 40-69 years with metabolic syndrome (MetS), who had either a history of cardiovascular disease or an intermediate-to-high 10-year cardiovascular disease risk. Dietary intake was assessed over three days using 24-hour dietary recalls and analyzed with CAN-Pro 4.0.

Overall dietary intake did not differ significantly according to the number of weekend days included, except food-group-based protein intake (p = .030). In the no-weekend group, most nutrients and food groups demonstrated relatively consistent correlations between the three-day average intake and single-day intake (r ≥ .61). In contrast, correlation coefficients varied widely among groups that included weekend days (r = -.08 to .97). Further analyses stratified by specific weekend days (saturdays, sundays, and national holidays) revealed significant differences in nutrient-based protein intake (F = 3.38, p = .011). Both nutrient- and food-group-based dietary intakes were significantly associated with cardiovascular risk factors.

The number of weekend days included in dietary assessment may influence estimated dietary intake. The observed variability across specific weekend days suggests that using multiple 24-hour dietary assessments and developing nutritional interventions that explicitly account for weekend schedules would improve the accuracy of dietary pattern assessment and the effectiveness of interventions in individuals with MetS.