BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: Metabolic syndrome (MetS) is closely connected to dietary and lifestyle factors, with diet being one of the primary risk factors for MetS, acting as a key factor in both prevention and management. In this study, we analyzed the mediating effect of the Korean Healthy Eating Index (KHEI) on the relationship between lifestyle patterns and MetS in middle-aged Koreans using data from the 2019–2021 Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHANES). SUBJECTS/METHODS: This study examined data from 5,196 adults aged 40–64 yrs who participated in the eighth KNHANES. Data on 5 lifestyle factors—smoking, alcohol consumption, physical activity, sleep duration, and stress perception—were analyzed. The latent class analysis (LCA) was performed using Mplus 8.11, and SPSS PROCESS Macro v4.2 was used for statistical analysis to analyze the mediating effect of the KHEI. RESULTS: The model categorized lifestyle factors into three into 3 clusters: ‘Low Activity Class,’ ‘Low Activity and Smoking Class,’ and ‘Multiple Risk Class.’ The KHEI mediation analysis showed significant effects: 0.0205 (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.0062–0.0363) in the ‘Low Activity and Smoke Class,’ and 0.0420 (95% CI, 0.0133–0.0726) in the ‘Multiple Risk Class.’ The mediating effect of the KHEI domain “adequacy” was significant in these groups, with effects of 0.0357 (95% CI, 0.0184–00563) and 0.0662 (95% CI, 0.0364–0.6491), for the respective groups. Balance of energy intake was significant in the group with ‘Multiple Risk Class’ (0.0189; 95% CI, 0.0044–0.0378). CONCLUSION The results suggest that a healthy diet improves health management and reduces risk factors for MetS. Nonetheless, better strategies for dietary improvement through a detailed analysis of KHEI components are warranted.

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: Metabolic syndrome (MetS) is closely connected to dietary and lifestyle factors, with diet being one of the primary risk factors for MetS, acting as a key factor in both prevention and management. In this study, we analyzed the mediating effect of the Korean Healthy Eating Index (KHEI) on the relationship between lifestyle patterns and MetS in middle-aged Koreans using data from the 2019–2021 Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHANES). SUBJECTS/METHODS: This study examined data from 5,196 adults aged 40–64 yrs who participated in the eighth KNHANES. Data on 5 lifestyle factors—smoking, alcohol consumption, physical activity, sleep duration, and stress perception—were analyzed. The latent class analysis (LCA) was performed using Mplus 8.11, and SPSS PROCESS Macro v4.2 was used for statistical analysis to analyze the mediating effect of the KHEI. RESULTS: The model categorized lifestyle factors into three into 3 clusters: ‘Low Activity Class,’ ‘Low Activity and Smoking Class,’ and ‘Multiple Risk Class.’ The KHEI mediation analysis showed significant effects: 0.0205 (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.0062–0.0363) in the ‘Low Activity and Smoke Class,’ and 0.0420 (95% CI, 0.0133–0.0726) in the ‘Multiple Risk Class.’ The mediating effect of the KHEI domain “adequacy” was significant in these groups, with effects of 0.0357 (95% CI, 0.0184–00563) and 0.0662 (95% CI, 0.0364–0.6491), for the respective groups. Balance of energy intake was significant in the group with ‘Multiple Risk Class’ (0.0189; 95% CI, 0.0044–0.0378). CONCLUSION The results suggest that a healthy diet improves health management and reduces risk factors for MetS. Nonetheless, better strategies for dietary improvement through a detailed analysis of KHEI components are warranted.

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: Metabolic syndrome (MetS) is closely connected to dietary and lifestyle factors, with diet being one of the primary risk factors for MetS, acting as a key factor in both prevention and management. In this study, we analyzed the mediating effect of the Korean Healthy Eating Index (KHEI) on the relationship between lifestyle patterns and MetS in middle-aged Koreans using data from the 2019–2021 Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHANES). SUBJECTS/METHODS: This study examined data from 5,196 adults aged 40–64 yrs who participated in the eighth KNHANES. Data on 5 lifestyle factors—smoking, alcohol consumption, physical activity, sleep duration, and stress perception—were analyzed. The latent class analysis (LCA) was performed using Mplus 8.11, and SPSS PROCESS Macro v4.2 was used for statistical analysis to analyze the mediating effect of the KHEI. RESULTS: The model categorized lifestyle factors into three into 3 clusters: ‘Low Activity Class,’ ‘Low Activity and Smoking Class,’ and ‘Multiple Risk Class.’ The KHEI mediation analysis showed significant effects: 0.0205 (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.0062–0.0363) in the ‘Low Activity and Smoke Class,’ and 0.0420 (95% CI, 0.0133–0.0726) in the ‘Multiple Risk Class.’ The mediating effect of the KHEI domain “adequacy” was significant in these groups, with effects of 0.0357 (95% CI, 0.0184–00563) and 0.0662 (95% CI, 0.0364–0.6491), for the respective groups. Balance of energy intake was significant in the group with ‘Multiple Risk Class’ (0.0189; 95% CI, 0.0044–0.0378). CONCLUSION The results suggest that a healthy diet improves health management and reduces risk factors for MetS. Nonetheless, better strategies for dietary improvement through a detailed analysis of KHEI components are warranted.

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: Metabolic syndrome (MetS) is closely connected to dietary and lifestyle factors, with diet being one of the primary risk factors for MetS, acting as a key factor in both prevention and management. In this study, we analyzed the mediating effect of the Korean Healthy Eating Index (KHEI) on the relationship between lifestyle patterns and MetS in middle-aged Koreans using data from the 2019–2021 Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHANES). SUBJECTS/METHODS: This study examined data from 5,196 adults aged 40–64 yrs who participated in the eighth KNHANES. Data on 5 lifestyle factors—smoking, alcohol consumption, physical activity, sleep duration, and stress perception—were analyzed. The latent class analysis (LCA) was performed using Mplus 8.11, and SPSS PROCESS Macro v4.2 was used for statistical analysis to analyze the mediating effect of the KHEI. RESULTS: The model categorized lifestyle factors into three into 3 clusters: ‘Low Activity Class,’ ‘Low Activity and Smoking Class,’ and ‘Multiple Risk Class.’ The KHEI mediation analysis showed significant effects: 0.0205 (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.0062–0.0363) in the ‘Low Activity and Smoke Class,’ and 0.0420 (95% CI, 0.0133–0.0726) in the ‘Multiple Risk Class.’ The mediating effect of the KHEI domain “adequacy” was significant in these groups, with effects of 0.0357 (95% CI, 0.0184–00563) and 0.0662 (95% CI, 0.0364–0.6491), for the respective groups. Balance of energy intake was significant in the group with ‘Multiple Risk Class’ (0.0189; 95% CI, 0.0044–0.0378). CONCLUSION The results suggest that a healthy diet improves health management and reduces risk factors for MetS. Nonetheless, better strategies for dietary improvement through a detailed analysis of KHEI components are warranted.

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: Metabolic syndrome (MetS) is closely connected to dietary and lifestyle factors, with diet being one of the primary risk factors for MetS, acting as a key factor in both prevention and management. In this study, we analyzed the mediating effect of the Korean Healthy Eating Index (KHEI) on the relationship between lifestyle patterns and MetS in middle-aged Koreans using data from the 2019–2021 Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHANES). SUBJECTS/METHODS: This study examined data from 5,196 adults aged 40–64 yrs who participated in the eighth KNHANES. Data on 5 lifestyle factors—smoking, alcohol consumption, physical activity, sleep duration, and stress perception—were analyzed. The latent class analysis (LCA) was performed using Mplus 8.11, and SPSS PROCESS Macro v4.2 was used for statistical analysis to analyze the mediating effect of the KHEI. RESULTS: The model categorized lifestyle factors into three into 3 clusters: ‘Low Activity Class,’ ‘Low Activity and Smoking Class,’ and ‘Multiple Risk Class.’ The KHEI mediation analysis showed significant effects: 0.0205 (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.0062–0.0363) in the ‘Low Activity and Smoke Class,’ and 0.0420 (95% CI, 0.0133–0.0726) in the ‘Multiple Risk Class.’ The mediating effect of the KHEI domain “adequacy” was significant in these groups, with effects of 0.0357 (95% CI, 0.0184–00563) and 0.0662 (95% CI, 0.0364–0.6491), for the respective groups. Balance of energy intake was significant in the group with ‘Multiple Risk Class’ (0.0189; 95% CI, 0.0044–0.0378). CONCLUSION The results suggest that a healthy diet improves health management and reduces risk factors for MetS. Nonetheless, better strategies for dietary improvement through a detailed analysis of KHEI components are warranted.

Alzheimer's disease (AD) remains a formidable challenge in modern healthcare, necessitating innovative approaches for its early detection and intervention. This study aimed to enhance the identification of individuals with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) at risk of developing AD. Leveraging advances in computational power and the extensive availability of healthcare data, we explored the potential of deep learning models for early prediction using medical claims data. We employed a bidirectional gated recurrent unit (BiGRU) deep learning model for predictive modeling of MCI progression across various prediction intervals, extending up to five years post-initial MCI diagnosis. The performance of the BiGRU model was rigorously compared with several machine-learning model baselines to evaluate its efficacy. Using a robust cross-validation methodology, the BiGRU emerged as the top-performing model, achieving an Area Under the Receiver Operating Characteristic Curve (AUC-ROC) of 0.833 (95% CI: 0.822, 0.843), an Area Under the Precision-Recall Curve (AUC-PR) of 0.856 (95% CI: 0.845, 0.867), and an F1-Score of 0.71 (95% CI: 0.694, 0.724) for a five-year prediction interval. The results indicate that BiGRU, utilizing longitudinal claims data, reliably predicts MCI-to-AD progression over a lengthy interval following the initial MCI diagnosis, offering clinicians a valuable tool for targeted risk identification and stratification.

Background: Functional bowel disorders (FBDs), including irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), are common worldwide. Recently, increasingly many bariatric surgical procedures have been performed in response to rising obesity rates. However, data on the association between FBDs and bariatric surgery are scarce. We examined the prevalence of FBDs among candidates for bariatric surgery and prospectively investigated the association between FBDs and bariatric surgery. Methods: This prospective cohort study included 112 bariatric surgery candidates at the Tel Aviv Medical Center from 2019 to 2020. Before and after surgery, patients completed the Rome III questionnaire. Data regarding demographics, socioeconomic status, and gastrointestinal symptoms were recorded. The rates of FBDs—IBS, functional constipation (FC), functional diarrhea (FDi), and unspecified functional bowel disorder (UFBD)—were then compared from before surgery to 6 months after the procedure. Results: Of 112 candidates with obesity at baseline, 68 underwent surgery and completed the postoperative questionnaire. Overall, the respective prevalence rates of FBDs, IBS, FC, FDi, and UFBD were 37.5%, 2.7%, 17.9%, 5.4%, and 11.6%. Female sex and single status were particularly common among patients with FBDs, whereas divorced status was more frequent in the group without FBDs. However, these factors were not independently associated with FBD presence upon multivariable analysis. IBS was more prevalent after surgery than before (8.8% vs. 1.5%, P = 0.06), but FBDs in general did not share this trend (44.1% vs. 36.8%, P = 0.44). Conclusion Bariatric surgery appears to increase the risk of developing IBS, while not impacting the overall risk of FBDs.

Background: Functional bowel disorders (FBDs), including irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), are common worldwide. Recently, increasingly many bariatric surgical procedures have been performed in response to rising obesity rates. However, data on the association between FBDs and bariatric surgery are scarce. We examined the prevalence of FBDs among candidates for bariatric surgery and prospectively investigated the association between FBDs and bariatric surgery. Methods: This prospective cohort study included 112 bariatric surgery candidates at the Tel Aviv Medical Center from 2019 to 2020. Before and after surgery, patients completed the Rome III questionnaire. Data regarding demographics, socioeconomic status, and gastrointestinal symptoms were recorded. The rates of FBDs—IBS, functional constipation (FC), functional diarrhea (FDi), and unspecified functional bowel disorder (UFBD)—were then compared from before surgery to 6 months after the procedure. Results: Of 112 candidates with obesity at baseline, 68 underwent surgery and completed the postoperative questionnaire. Overall, the respective prevalence rates of FBDs, IBS, FC, FDi, and UFBD were 37.5%, 2.7%, 17.9%, 5.4%, and 11.6%. Female sex and single status were particularly common among patients with FBDs, whereas divorced status was more frequent in the group without FBDs. However, these factors were not independently associated with FBD presence upon multivariable analysis. IBS was more prevalent after surgery than before (8.8% vs. 1.5%, P = 0.06), but FBDs in general did not share this trend (44.1% vs. 36.8%, P = 0.44). Conclusion Bariatric surgery appears to increase the risk of developing IBS, while not impacting the overall risk of FBDs.