Association between Carbohydrate Energy Intake Ratio and Metabolic Syndrome Risk in Korean Menopausal Women: Analysis of the 2022 KNHANES

Although higher carbohydrate intake has been linked to increased metabolic risk factors among the korean elderly population, limited research has been conducted specifically on the carbohydrate energy intake ratio in menopausal women. This study aimed to evaluate the association between carbohydrate energy intake ratio and the risk of metabolic syndrome (ms) in korean menopausal women using data from the 2022 korea national health and nutrition examination survey (knhanes). A total of 1,909 women aged 45 years or older were selected for the final analysis. Participants were stratified into three groups based on their carbohydrate energy intake ratio: low carbohydrate (lc), standard carbohydrate (sc), and high carbohydrate (hc). Statistical analyses were conducted using spss version 20.0. The average macronutrient energy intake ratios (carbohydrates:protein,:fat) for each group were as follows: ·lc group: 42.15%: 23.56%: 34.29% ·sc group: 55.36%: 17.87%: 26.77% ·hc group: 70.51%: 13.30% : 16.19% (p<0.001). Among the total subjects, 12.5% were in the lc group, 22.3% in the sc group, and 65.2% in the hc group, indicating that over 65% of korean menopausal women had a very high carbohydrate energy intake ratio averaging 70.51%. The results showed a clear association between higher carbohydrate energy intake and increased risk of metabolic syndrome. Specifically, triglyceride levels, fasting blood glucose, blood pressure, and obesity were significantly higher in the hc group, while hdl cholesterol levels were significantly lower compared to the lc and sc groups. This study suggests that maintaining a carbohydrate energy intake ratio of less than 50% may help reduce metabolic risk factors in korean menopausal women.