Association of Fruit and Vegetable Intake with Korean Healthy Eating Index and Metabolic Indicators in Young Adults: Analysis of the 2019－2021 Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey

This study examined the association between fruit and vegetable (FV) intake and the Korean Healthy Eating Index (KHEI) as well as metabolic indicators among young adults aged 19-29 years.A total of 1,582 young adults (757 men and 825 women) were analyzed using data from the Eighth Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (2019)(2020)(2021).The participants were classified into two groups based on their daily FV intake: 500 g/d and <500 g/d.The general characteristics, metabolic indicators, and KHEI scores in the groups were compared.The associations between the FV intake, KHEI component scores, and metabolic indicators were also assessed.Among women, those who consumed 500 g/d of FV had significantly lower body mass index, waist circumference, fasting blood glucose levels, and prevalence of metabolic syndrome than those consuming <500 g/d.Both men and women in the 500 g/d group had significantly higher total KHEI scores than those in the <500 g/d group.Furthermore, consuming 150 g/d of fruit was associated with a significantly lower prevalence of metabolic syndrome and a reduced risk of hyperglycemia compared with non-consumption in both sexes.In particular, only in women were KHEI component scores (adequacy and moderation) significantly associated with metabolic indicators.These findings suggest that sufficient fruit intake may play an important role in reducing the risk of metabolic syndrome among young adults in Korea.Promoting adequate daily fruit intake should be considered a key strategy for improving metabolic health in this population.