Open Access Research article

Rice-eating pattern and the risk of metabolic syndrome especially waist circumference in Korean Genome and Epidemiology Study (KoGES)

Younjhin Ahn, Seon-Joo Park, Hye-kyoung Kwack, Mi Kyung Kim, Kwang-Pil Ko and Sung Soo Kim

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BMC Public Health 2013, 13:61 doi:10.1186/1471-2458-13-61

Published: 22 January 2013

Abstract (provisional)

Background

Metabolic syndrome poses a serious health threat in Asian countries. Rice is a staple food in Korea, and carbohydrate intake is associated with the risk of MetS. We hypothesized that various rice-eating patterns in a carbohydrate-based diet would have different effects on the risk of MetS.

Methods

Participants were 21,165 subjects enrolled in the Korean Genome and Epidemiology Study between 2004 and 2006. They were classified into three dietary patterns - white rice, rice with beans, and rice with multi-grains based on their food frequency questionnaire responses. We compared metabolic risk traits according to the rice-eating patterns.

Results

Nutrients consumption and the presence of MetS risk factors differed according to rice-eating patterns. In men odds ratio(OR) for central obesity was slightly elevated in mixed group(1.18). In women, the risk for central obesity and abnormal fasting glucose were lower in the rice with beans group(adjusted odds ratio(OR)=0.79, 0.83 respectively) and central obesity in rice with multi-grains(adjusted OR=0.91) than the white rice group. In postmenopausal women, ORs for central obesity (0.78) and abnormal fasting glucose (0.75) in the rice with beans group and ORs for central obesity (0.83), abnormal HDL-cholesterol (0.87) and MetS(0.85) in the rice with multi-grains group was lower than those in white rice group. In premenopausal women, the risk for central obesity (OR=0.77) was reduced in the rice with beans group.

Conclusion

The risk for MetS was lower in the rice with beans and rice with multi-grains groups compared with the white rice group, particularly in postmenopausal women.

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