PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to determine trends in dietary vitamin E intakes and contributing food groups among Korean adults. METHODS: This study included 66,695 subjects aged ≥ 19 years who completed a nutrition survey as part of the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (1998, 2001, 2005, 2007~2009, 2010~2012, 2013~2015). We estimated individual daily intakes of α-, β-, γ-, δ-tocopherol, and total vitamin E by linking food consumption data with a vitamin E database of commonly consumed foods. RESULTS: Daily vitamin E intake significantly increased from 6.4 mg α-TE/d in 1998 to 7.7 mg α-TE/d in 2013~2015 (p for trend < 0.0001) among men as well as from 5.4 mg α-TE/d in 1998 to 6.5 mg α-TE/d in 2013~2015 among women (p for trend < 0.0001). However, the intake of vitamin E was lower than the adequate intake (AI) of Dietary Reference Intakes for Koreans 2015 (2015 KDRI). In 2013~2015, men consumed 6.5 mg/d of α-tocopherol, 0.5 mg/d of β-tocopherol, 6.0 mg/d of γ-tocopherol, and 3.9 mg/d of δ-tocopherol, whereas women consumed 5.7 mg/d of α-tocopherol, 0.4 mg/d of β-tocopherol, 4.8 mg/d of γ-tocopherol, and 2.8 mg/d of δ-tocopherol. The major food groups contributing to vitamin E intake were vegetables (men: 23.3%, women: 22.7%), grains (men: 14.5%, women: 13.9%), and eggs (men: 13.0%, women: 12.5%). CONCLUSION: This study provides scientific evidence for vitamin E intake in Korean adults. Since the current intake of vitamin E was lower than the reference intakes set by 2015 KDRI, dietary vitamin E intake should be monitored regularly among Korean adults.
Adult* ; Eggs ; Female ; Humans ; Korea* ; Male ; Nutrition Surveys* ; Ovum ; Recommended Dietary Allowances ; Tocopherols ; Vegetables ; Vitamin E* ; Vitamins*

Purpose: This study aimed to investigate the perceptions of the dietary guidelines for Koreans (DGK) among Korean adults based on sociodemographic and lifestyle factors. Methods: A total of 514 Korean adults aged 19–64 years completed a self-administered online questionnaire assessing their perceptions of DGK, sociodemographic and lifestyle factors, and subjective assessments regarding the importance of 11 nutrients and 16 food groups. The differences in the perceptions of DGK according to the characteristics of the participants were analyzed using t-tests or ANOVA. Additionally, the differences in the subjective assessments of nutrients and food groups according to the perceptions of DGK were examined using t-tests. Results: The awareness of DGK was significantly higher among participants aged 50–64 years, living in single-person households, who were physically active, with a lower frequency of eating out, and with a higher interest in dietary information (p < 0.05 for all). The understanding of DGK was significantly higher among participants aged 19–29 years, females, individuals who were under or normal weight, non-smokers, those who selfevaluated their diet as healthy, and those with a high interest in dietary information (p < 0.05 for all). Additionally, the applicability of DGK was significantly higher among participants aged 50–64 years, who were physically active, who self-evaluated their diet as healthy, and who had a high interest in dietary information (p < 0.05 for all). Participants with a higher perception of DGK tended to attribute greater importance to most nutrients and food groups compared to those with a lower perception level. However, processed meat and foods, beverages, and alcoholic drinks consistently received lower importance ratings compared to other nutrients and food groups, regardless of the perception level. Conclusion This research suggests that the perceptions of DGK among Korean adults may vary depending on sociodemographic and lifestyle factors. Consequently, there is a need to customize and diversify the methods for providing dietary guidelines.

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to examine the association between intake of antioxidant vitamins and prevalence of metabolic syndrome (MetS) among Korean adults. METHODS: A total of 614 subjects aged 30~60 years were recruited from those who received a medical checkup at a general hospital in South Korea between 2009 and 2012. Presence of MetS was determined based on criteria issued by the NCEP ATP III. Intakes of antioxidant vitamins (vitamin A, retinol, carotenoids, vitamin C, and vitamin E) were estimated by combining 3-day diet records with an antioxidant vitamin database for common Korean foods. We used multiple logistic regression analysis to assess the association between dietary intakes of antioxidant vitamins and MetS. RESULTS: Men in the highest tertile for retinol (OR = 0.40, 95% CI = 0.23~0.71, P for trend = 0.0009), carotenoids (OR = 0.57, 95% CI = 0.32~1.00, P for trend = 0.0470), and vitamin E (OR = 0.52, 95% CI = 0.30~0.92, P for trend = 0.0190) intakes had a lower likelihood of having Mets than those in the lowest tertile. The OR of high fasting blood glucose among men in the highest tertile for vitamin A (µg RE: OR = 0.55, 95% CI = 0.32~0.97, P for trend = 0.0417, µg RAE: OR = 0.52, 95% CI = 0.29~0.92, P for trend = 0.0211), carotenoids (OR = 0.41, 95% CI = 0.23~0.73, P for trend = 0.0036), and vitamin E (OR = 0.47, 95% CI = 0.26~0.82, P for trend = 0.0080) intakes was lower than those in the lowest tertile. In women, subjects in the highest tertile of retinol intakes had a lower prevalence of MetS than those in the lowest tertile group (OR = 0.55, 95% CI = 0.30~0.98). The OR for abdominal obesity was lower among women with the highest vitamin A (µg RE) intakes compared to those in the lowest tertile (OR = 0.51, 95% CI = 0.28~0.93, P for trend = 0.0293). CONCLUSION: These results suggest that dietary intakes of antioxidant vitamins might be associated with reduced risk of having MetS among Korean adults.
Adenosine Triphosphate ; Adult* ; Ascorbic Acid ; Blood Glucose ; Carotenoids ; Diet Records ; Fasting ; Female ; Hospitals, General ; Humans ; Korea ; Logistic Models ; Male ; Obesity, Abdominal ; Prevalence ; Vitamin A ; Vitamin E ; Vitamins*