• Journal of the Korean Dietetic Association
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• v.27 no.1
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• pp.1-14
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• 2021

This study aimed to investigate the relationship between meal regularity (i.e. breakfast intake and meal-times), and the risk of metabolic syndrome (MetS) among generally healthy Korean single-person household adults (≤60 years, n=594) based on the Seventh Korean National Health Examination and Nutrition Survey (KNHANES) (2016~2018). Among men (n=325), the breakfast intake frequency was not significantly associated with the pervalence of MetS. However, men consuming a regular meal at least once a day showed a lower prevalence of MetS compared to those whose meals were irregular. These patterns remained after adjusting for age, smoking and drinking habits, individual income, education level, exercise, and total calorie intake. An association between meal regularity and MetS risk was observed in post-menopausal women (n=84), but not in pre-menopausal women (n=185). More specifically post-menopausal women with irregular breakfast eating habits or eating no breakfast at all showed a significantly higher risk of MetS than those eating breakfast regularly after the adjustment. The analysis revealed an odds ratio (OR) of 8.46, confidence intervals (CIs): 1.149~62.199, P<0.05 in irregular breakfast eaters, and an OR of 13.377, CIs: 1.665~107.511, P<0.05, in those who ate no breakfast. Furthermore, post-menopausal women who had irregular meals daily showed a higher risk of MetS than those consuming one or more regular meals/day after the adjustment (OR: 16.888, CIs: 1.258~226.655, P<0.05). In conclusion, the results from this study may be used for formulating optimal dietary guidelines for the prevention and the management of MetS in adults in single-person households.