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Metabolic syndrome (MetS) is a multifactorial cluster of metabolic disorders related to cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes mellitus. Diet and dietary patterns are significant factors in the development and management of MetS. The associations between dietary patterns (i.e., high-carbohydrate [HCHO], high-fat [HF], and high-protein [HP] diets) and the prevalence of MetS in Koreans were examined using data from the Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, collected between 2018 and 2020. The study included data from 9069 participants (3777 men and 5292 women). The percentage of participants with MetS was significantly higher in the HCHO diet group than in the normal diet group in women. Women with HCHO diet were positively associated with elevated blood pressure and triglyceride levels based on a comparison with the normal diet group ( p = 0.032 and p = 0.005, respectively). Men with an HF diet were negatively associated with elevated fasting glucose levels based on a comparison with the normal diet group ( p = 0.014). Our findings showed that HCHO intake was strongly associated with a higher risk of MetS, especially elevated blood pressure and triglyceride levels in women, and an HF diet was negatively associated with elevated fasting glucose levels in men. Further prospective studies of the impact of dietary carbohydrate, fat, and protein proportions on metabolic health are needed. The optimal types and proportions of these dietary components, as well as the underlying mechanisms through which suboptimal proportions can lead to MetS, should also be investigated.

Background: Obesity is a risk factor for many health issues, as are metabolic abnormalities; all may affect mental health and one's health-related quality of life. Therefore, we investigated the association between obesity subtypes, considering both body weight and metabolic abnormalities, and the mental health and quality of life of a Korean population. Methods: We used data from the 2016 Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, a cross-sectional survey of Korean civilians, and data on a total of 6057 participants were analyzed. Obesity subtypes were classified as metabolically healthy but obese (MHO); metabolically abnormal but of normal weight (MANW); and metabolically abnormal and obese (MAO). Results: MHO was positively associated with mobility problems, pain/discomfort, and stress compared with metabolically healthy and of normal weight (MHNW) control. MAO was positively associated with problems in terms of not only mobility problems, pain/discomfort, and stress but also self-care and usual activity problems, and improper sleep duration, compared with the MHNW control. MANW showed no associations with the mental health problems or quality of life. Conclusions: With or without metabolic abnormalities, obesity is associated with mental health problems and decreased quality of life.

Background: Psoriasis is a chronic inflammatory skin disease characterized by an abnormal T-cell-mediated immune response, and is associated with metabolic syndrome (MetS) and components thereof. However, few prospective studies have investigated the associations between MetS and its components, on the one hand, and the risk of psoriasis, on the other. Therefore, we investigated the association between the presence of MetS and its components and the prospective risk of psoriasis development., Methods: In total, 9,718,591 adults (2,595,878 in the MetS group and 7,122,713 in the comparison group) were evaluated using data from the Korean National Health Insurance Service (2009 to 2017)., Results: MetS was positively associated with an increased risk of psoriasis over an 8-year follow-up period after adjusting for age, sex, smoking status, alcohol consumption, physical activity, household income, and body mass index (hazard ratio 1.05, 95% confidence interval 1.04-1.06). The risk of psoriasis tended to increase as the number of MetS components increased, and this trend was significant in obese subjects (P for trend <0.001)., Conclusion: Psoriasis was significantly and positively associated with MetS and several components thereof; MetS severity and obesity affected these associations over 8 years of follow-up, suggesting that MetS is a risk factor for the development of psoriasis., (Copyright © 2019 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Obesity is a risk factor for many health issues, as are metabolic abnormalities. However, few studies have addressed the associations between obesity/metabolic risk phenotypes and dietary macronutrient intakes (carbohydrate, protein, and fat). Therefore, this study examined the associations between macronutrient intakes and obesity/metabolic risk phenotypes in a Korean population. We used data from the Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, a cross-sectional survey of Korean civilians, conducted in 2014 and 2016, and data on a total of 7374 participants were analyzed. Macronutrient intakes were defined as the proportions of energy derived from carbohydrate, protein, and fat. Those exhibiting obesity/metabolic risk phenotypes (or not) were divided into four groups: normal weight without metabolic abnormalities; obese without metabolic abnormalities; normal weight with metabolic abnormalities; and obese with metabolic abnormalities. After adjusting for age, smoking status, alcohol consumption, extent of physical activity, household income, and daily fiber intake, no association was found between the proportions of carbohydrate, protein, or fat intakes and obesity/metabolic risk phenotypes except for a positive association between metabolically healthy but obese status and low protein intake in females. Further studies are required to evaluate the effects of macronutrient intakes on obesity/metabolic risk phenotypes and associated health outcomes.

The prevalence of metabolic syndrome (MetS) has been increasing rapidly worldwide. The activities of zinc, magnesium and chromium have a potential association with MetS; therefore, we investigated the effects of zinc, magnesium and chromium supplements on metabolic risk factors in adults with MetS. In this double-blind, placebo controlled randomised study, 32 adults with MetS were included in the zinc, magnesium, and chromium-administered group (n = 16) or the placebo group (n = 16) and received either 300 mg magnesium, 600 μg chromium and 36 mg zinc per day or placebo over a 24-week period. The primary endpoint was the change in the MetS components, including serum glucose, triglyceride and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels, blood pressure and waist circumference. Data were analysed using repeated-measures analysis of variance. The metabolic risk factors did not change post-intervention, but the serum C-reactive protein level decreased in the mineral-supplemented group compared with that in the placebo group. Further studies with stricter inclusion criteria are needed to better evaluate the potential for zinc, magnesium and chromium to improve metabolic risk in adults with MetS., (Copyright © 2018 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.)

Metabolic syndrome (MetS) has been increasing rapidly worldwide and is associated with elevated risks of cardiovascular disease and mortality. The relationship between MetS and dietary calcium intake is controversial. We hypothesized that high dietary calcium intake is associated with MetS in males and that the associations vary according to obesity status. Using data from the Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey V, a cross-sectional survey of Korean civilians was conducted from January 2010 to December 2012 to test these hypotheses. Data from a total of 5946 males were analyzed with no association observed between dietary calcium intake and the presence of MetS. However, males deriving high calcium intake levels from dairy products had a lower prevalence of MetS than did those who did not ingest such products (adjusted odds ratio [OR], 0.75; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.58-0.96). In obese males, the highest dietary calcium intake was positively associated with the presence of MetS (adjusted OR, 1.61; 95% CI, 1.12-2.36). However, obese males who consume dairy products had a lower prevalence of MetS than did those who did not consume such products (adjusted OR, 0.51; 95% CI, 0.29-0.90). In conclusion, the results suggest that the high dietary calcium intake, in the absence of dairy product consumption, was associated with the increased prevalence of MetS in obese males. Additional studies are required to determine whether dietary calcium intake affects the development of MetS., (Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

The prevalence of metabolic syndrome has been increasing rapidly worldwide. The functions of zinc may have a potential association with metabolic syndrome, but such associations have not been investigated extensively. Therefore, we examined the relationship between serum zinc levels and metabolic syndrome or metabolic risk factors among South Korean adults ≥ 20 years of age. The analysis used data from the Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, a cross-sectional survey of Korean civilians, conducted from January to December 2010. A total of 1,926 participants were analyzed in this study. Serum zinc levels in men were negatively associated with elevated fasting glucose (adjusted odds ratio [aOR], 0.58; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.36-0.93) and positively associated with elevated triglycerides (aOR, 1.47; 95% CI, 1.01-2.13). A difference in serum zinc levels was detected in women, depending on the number of metabolic syndrome components (p = 0.002). Furthermore, serum zinc levels showed a decreasing trend with increasing numbers of metabolic syndrome components in women with metabolic syndrome. These findings suggest that serum zinc levels might be associated with metabolic syndrome or metabolic risk factors. Further gender-specific studies are needed to evaluate the effect of dietary or supplemental zinc intake on metabolic syndrome.

Introduction: Female sexual dysfunction is an important public health issue; it has a high global prevalence, but no effective and safe treatment options. The prevalence of sexual dysfunction is higher in women with metabolic syndrome than in the general population., Aim: The aim of this study was to investigate the efficacy of yoga as a treatment for sexual dysfunction in women with metabolic syndrome., Methods: In this randomized, controlled study, 41 women with metabolic syndrome (age 30-60 years) were assigned to a 12-week yoga exercise group (n=20) or a wait-listed control group (n=21)., Main Outcome Measures: Primary end points were changes in total and individual domain scores on the Female Sexual Function Index., Results: The 12-week yoga intervention resulted in significant improvement in arousal (0.74±1.18 vs. 0.16±0.82, respectively; P=0.042) and lubrication (0.72±1.12 vs. 0.06±0.87, respectively; P=0.008) compared with the control group. Systolic blood pressure showed significantly greater improvement in the yoga group than in the control group at the 12-week follow up (-3.5±13.7 vs. 2.0±14.7, respectively; P=0.040)., Conclusion: These findings suggest that yoga may be an effective treatment for sexual dysfunction in women with metabolic syndrome as well as for metabolic risk factors., (© 2013 International Society for Sexual Medicine.)