The Associations between Dietary Intake of N-3 Fatty Acids and 10-Year Cardiovascular Disease Risk: The Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, 2012–2016

Background@#Dietary intake of n-3 fatty acids have been suggested for their protective role against cardiovascular disease. However, findings from recent studies have been inconsistent. Thus, we investigated the association between dietary intake of n-3 fatty acids and the 10-year risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD). @*Methods@#We analyzed data from 17,390 adults who were aged 30–64 years and free of CVD using the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, 2012–2016. Dietary intake of n-3 fatty acids was calculated by using food-frequency questionnaire, and the 10 year risk of CVD was calculated by Framingham general cardiovascular disease risk score (2008) model. We analyzed the odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) from logistic regression to evaluate the association between dietary intake of n-3 fatty acids and the 10-year risk of CVD. @*Results@#Logistic regression anlaysis showed that dietary intake of n-3 fatty acids was not significantly associated with the 10-year risk of CVD, after adjusting for confounders (OR=0.91; 95% CI, 0.77–1.07). But higher dietary intake of n-3 fatty acids was associated with reduced the 10-year risk of CVD for the female (OR=0.74; 95% CI, 0.58–0.95). @*Conclusion@#Our research indicated no significant association between dietary intake of n-3 fatty acids and the 10-year risk of CVD. But the inverse association was observed in the female.

Association between Physical Activity and Estimated Glomerular Filtration Rate in Adults

BACKGROUND: This study was conducted to examine the correlation between physical activity and estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) in Korean adults.METHODS: We selected 6,546 adults aged >19 years from among the participants of the 2016 National Health and Nutrition Survey. Physical activity and sedentary time were measured using the global physical activity questionnaires developed by the World Health Organization. eGFR was calculated using the Modification of Diet in Renal Disease equation. After adjustment for covariates (age, marital status, hypertension, diabetes, myocardial infarction, drinking, smoking, total cholesterol level, body mass index, and C-reactive protein level), the correlations among physical activity, sedentary time, and eGFR were analyzed using multivariate linear regression analysis.RESULTS: No correlation was found between physical activity level and eGFR. However, sedentary time was significantly correlated with eGFR. The result showed that eGFR increased as sedentary time decreased.CONCLUSION: No correlation was found between physical activity level and eGFR in adults aged >19 years, but sedentary time was significantly correlated with eGFR. Further research is needed to clarify the relationship between physical activity and eGFR, using other physical activity indicators and changing the physical activity criteria.

Macronutrient composition of human milk from Korean mothers of full term infants born at 37-42 gestational weeks

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: Breast milk is the best available food for optimum growth and development of infants and the breastfeeding rate is increasing in Korea. The purpose of this study is to measure the concentrations of macronutrients and to evaluate their changes according to lactation period in breast milk from lactating Korean women. SUBJECTS/METHODS: Milk samples were obtained from 2,632 healthy lactating women (mean age; 32.0 +/- 3.3 years), where the lactating period was up to a period of 8 months, who also volunteered to participate in the Human Milk Macronutrient Analysis Research. Lactose, protein, fat and water content in the breast milk samples were analyzed with infrared spectrometry using MilkoScan FT-2. RESULTS: The mean macronutrient composition per 100 mL of mature breast milk was 7.1 g for lactose, 1.4 g for protein and 3.0 g for fat, and energy content was 61.1 kcal. The protein concentration was significantly lower in milk samples at 1-2 weeks (2.0 g/dL) to 2-3 months (1.4 g/dL) than those at 0-1 week (2.2 g/dL), but it was similar among samples from 3-4 months to 7-8 months (1.3 g/dL). Mean lipid levels varied among different lactational period groups (2.7-3.2 g/dL), but presented no significant difference. Lactose concentration in the milk samples did not differ with lactation period. Maternal body mass index was positively related to protein and lipid breast milk contents, but was negatively related to lactose content. General linear models examining the associations between maternal variables and milk macronutrient content revealed that lactation period had a major impact on protein and lipid, but not on lactose content in breast milk. CONCLUSIONS: These results warrant future studies to explore factors that may be associated with changes in macronutrient content in human milk.