(P29-034-23) Association Between Korean Traditional Fermented Vegetables (Kimchi) Intake and Risk of Dyslipidemia: Using Korean Genome and Epidemiology Study (KoGES) Cohort

Objectives: One of the significant global health concerns is dyslipidemia. Kimchi, containing diverse lactic acid bacteria, has been shown to reduce total cholesterol and triglyceride levels in animal studies. Thus, the objective of this research is to investigate the correlation between consumption of kimchi across a broad spectrum and the likelihood of dyslipidemia in middle-aged Koreans.

Methods: In this research, we enlisted middle-aged Korean individuals aged 40-69 from the Korean Genome and Epidemiology Study (KoGES) Cohort, and excluded those without dietary information on kimchi consumption and dyslipidemia data, specifically total cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol, and triglycerides (TG). Ultimately, a total of 61,761 (Men = 20,508, Women = 41,253) participants were included. We gauged kimchi intake through a semi-quantitative food frequency questionnaire that comprised four types (baechu kimchi, kkakdugi, nabak kimchi/dongchimi, and other kimchi), and participants were segmented based on their serving size. We carried out a correlation analysis using both baseline and follow-up data from all participants.

Results: The correlation analysis revealed that only women showed significant results. Compared to those who consumed kimchi less than once per day, individuals who consumed two servings of kimchi daily had lower TG levels (β -2.913, 95% CI (-5.183, -0.642)) and higher HDL cholesterol levels (β 0.437, 95% CI (0.066, 0.808)). Moreover, those who consumed baechu kimchi twice a day had decreased levels of TG (β -3.372, 95% CI (-5.414, -1.33)), LDL cholesterol (β -1.155, 95% CI (-2.214, -0.095)), and total cholesterol (β -1.6, 95% CI (-2.744, -0.456)) compared to individuals who consumed kimchi less than once per day.

Conclusions: In summary, middle-aged Korean women who consumed kimchi moderately showed a lower risk of dyslipidemia, as evidenced by reduced levels of total cholesterol, LDL cholesterol, and TG, as well as increased levels of HDL cholesterol.

Funding Sources: This research was supported by grants from the World Institute of Kimchi (KE2301-2), and the National Research Foundation of Korea (NRF) grant [grant number 2022R1F1A1074279], funded by the Ministry of Science and ICT, Republic of Korea, and the Korean government through the Ministry of Science and ICT (MSIT).