Fruit and Vegetable Intake and Its Association with the Metabolic Diseases in Korean Adults : The 2019∼2021 Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys

The purpose of this study was to compare the intake levels of nutrients and food sources according to the fruit and vegetable intake among Korean adults and analyze its relationship with metabolic diseases. The subjects of the study were 9,278 adults aged 19 to 64 years who participated in the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHANES) from 2019 to 2021. The nutrient and food group intake, according to fruit and vegetable intake was investigated using 24-hour recall method, and the association between fruit and vegetable intake and metabolic diseases was analyzed through multiple logistic regression. The men and women in the group that consumed more than 500 g per day of fruits and vegetables had a higher total energy intake and nutritional density of dietary fiber, vitamin A, vitamin C, thiamine, niacin, calcium, phosphorus, potassium, and iron compared to the group that consumed less than 500 g. In the group consuming more than 500 g per day of fruits and vegetables, compared to the group consuming less than 500 g, men consumed higher amounts of grains, seaweed, eggs, and fish and shellfish, and women consumed higher amounts of grains and meat, and both men and women consumed less beverages and alcoholic beverages. A comparison of the relationship between fruit and vegetable intake levels and metabolic diseases revealed that, as fruit intake increased in men, the risk of metabolic syndrome, abdominal obesity, hypertension, and hypertriglyceridemia decreased. In women, as the fruit intake increased, the risk of metabolic syndrome, abdominal obesity, diabetes, and obesity decreased. As the fruit and vegetable intake increased, the risk of abdominal obesity, hypertriglyceridemia, and obesity decreased in women. There was no significant correlation between vegetable intake and the risk of metabolic diseases in both men and women. Among Korean adults, those consuming more than 500 g per day of fruits and vegetables were found to be insufficient, and as the fruit intake increased, the risk of metabolic syndrome decreased for both men and women. These findings may help to promote fruit and vegetable intake and establish appropriate intake guidelines.