Varied diet reduces risk of metabolic syndrome

Not being too choosy about food provides a better chance of preventing metabolic syndrome, the Korea Food and Drug Administration said Friday.

According to the U.S. National Health, Lung and Blood Institute, metabolic syndrome refers to a group of risk factors that raise the risk of heart disease and other health problems, such as diabetes and stroke.

A research team at the organization conducted a cohort study of 6,640 adults living in the Ansan and Anseong regions of Gyeonggi Province from 2001-2008 and found that those who ate diverse foods had a 23 percent lower prevalence rate of insulin resistance syndrome than those who preferred white rice and kimchi as their main menu.

Out of 2,548 eaters who were not picky, the study detected 534 cases of obesity in the abdomen area and 1,095 cases of low levels of high density lipoprotein cholesterol, which is considered healthy. Among the 2,490 picky eaters, the number of obesity cases stood at 679 while the low HDL cholesterol rate marked 1,122 cases.

“Just by changing your everyday meals, you may prevent health risks,” the research team said in a press release.

(baejisook@heraldcorp.com)