OBJECTIVETo examine the association of dietary patterns with chronic diseases and their indicators.

METHODSUsing the data from 2002 National Nutrition and Health Survey, we divided the subjects into clusters according to their dietary patterns classified by different percentage of energy intake from cereal foods, carbohydrate and fat, respectively. The analysis of variance was used to identify the difference in chronic disease prevalence across clusters of subjects while controlling for age, gender and geographic regions. Logistic regression analysis was applied to calculate the odd ratios (OR) for association of chronic disease and each dietary pattern, after adjusted for age, gender, region, energy intake, leisure time.

RESULTSThe higher percentage of energy intake from cereals was significantly associated with lower body mass index (BMI), lower total cholesterol (TC) and low density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C). While it was significantly associated with lower risk for overweight/obesity, hypertension, high total cholesterol, high triglyceride (TG) and high LDL-C, but the prevalence of underweight was significantly higher in the cluster of subjects with cereal energy share more than 75%. The higher percentage of energy intake from fat was significantly associated with higher BMI, higher total cholesterol and higher LDL-C, which accordingly, was significantly associated with higher risk for overweight/obesity, hypertension, high total cholesterol, triglyceride and high LDL-C.

CONCLUSIONOur study confirmed the important role of dietary pattern in chronic disease control; in particular, appropriate percentage of energy intake from fat and cereals/carbohydrates are beneficial to control and prevention of chronic diseases.