Risk of Metabolic Syndrome according to Intakes of Vegetables and Kimchi in Korean Adults: Using the 5th Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, 2010–2011 / 대한지역사회영양학회지

OBJECTIVES: The objective of this study was to examine the relations between total vegetable and Kimchi intakes and the risk of metabolic syndrome (Mets) in Korean adults. METHODS: This study used dietary intake and health data of 6668 subjects aged 20 years and over from the 2010–2011 Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHANES). Daily intakes of total vegetables and Kimchi were assessed by 24-hour recall data. The odds ratio of Mets risk according to daily intake of vegetables and Kimchi was analyzed, respectively. RESULTS: The highest consumption of total vegetables was associated with a lower risk of abdominal obesity (multivariable adjusted OR=0.56, 95% CI: 0.33, 0.93) in men and lower risk of Mets (multivariable adjusted OR=0.67, 95% CI: 0.47, 0.94) in women. Kimchi consumption was not related to the risk of Mets in both men and in women. However, a higher intake of Kimchi was associated with an increased risk of elevated blood pressure (Q1 vs Q5, multivariable adjusted OR=1.34, 95% CI: 0.95, 1.90, P for trend= 0.0261) in women. CONCLUSIONS: A higher intake of vegetables was associated with decreased risk of abdominal obesity and Mets in both men and women, respectively. A higher consumption of Kimchi was not related to the risk of Mets in both in men and in women. However, a higher intake of Kimchi was associated with an increased risk of elevated blood pressure in women.

Food Sensitization in Infants and Young Children with Atopic Dermatitis

Atopic dermatitis (AD) is a chronic, relapsing, inflammatory skin disease. Children with AD tend to have a higher prevalence of food allergies. This study investigated the clinical significance of food sensitization in AD patients. A total of 266 AD patients participated in this study. The prevalence of food sensitization and clinically relevant sensitization were compared in the subjects according to their age and AD severity. Sera from all patients were analyzed for food-specific IgE levels using the Pharmacia CAP System FEIA. The serum specific IgE levels for egg, milk, peanut and soybean were measured. Patients were regarded as sensitized to the food if their food-specific IgE levels were above 0.35 kUA/L. Also the food-specific IgE levels, the so-called diagnostic decision point, which is recommended as the clinically relevant level, for clinical food allergy, as suggested by Sampson et al, was used as an alternative method. From the measurement of food-specific IgE antibodies of the four foods, egg was the most highly sensitized and the main causative allergenic food in children with AD. The positive rates of specific IgE to the four major food allergens, and the prevalences of clinically relevant food sensitization, were higher for all foods tested in the group less than 1 year of age, and were significantly higher in moderate to severe AD compared to mild AD in infants and young children. In summary, presence of food specific IgE is prevalent in infants and young children with AD, and clinically relevant food sensitization is important in Korean infants and children with moderate to severe AD.