Impact of Dietary Behaviors on Dyslipidemia in Japanese Male Workers

Dyslipidemia such as hypercholesterolemia and hypertriglyceridemia, affecting atherosclerosis, is known to be induced by dietary behaviors including high-fat diets, but little is known about what kind of dietary behavior is associated with dyslipidemia. We explored which of lunch patterns such as box lunch, meals at restaurants, instant noodles, and rice-balls was more strongly connected with dyslipidemia. Data on dietary behaviors (e.g., breakfast-skipping, snacking, lunch patterns, dinner time irregularity, and daily ethanol intake) and the possible confounders (age, body mass index, sleep duration, smoking habit, regular exercise, and work stress), along with fasting serum levels of triglycerides, LDL-cholesterol and HDL-cholesterol, were collected from 1,582 male workers belonging to a health insurance union of automobile dealerships in Japan. Proportions of dyslipidemia among the workers were 17.3% for hypertriglyceridemia (≥ 150 mg/dl), 18.9% for hyperLDL cholesterolemia (≥ 140 mg/dl), and 4.7% for hypo-HDL cholesterolemia (< 40 mg/dl). Given a multiple regression analysis with adjustment for possible confounders, the contribution ratio of lunch to lipid variations was between 0.1% and 0.8%. Also, habitual instant noodle ingestion showed a significant relation to triglycerides. Odds ratios of habitual instant noodle ingestion, after adjustment for the possible confounders, were 1.575 (95% confidence interval, 1.120 to 2.215) for hypertriglyceridemia and 2.039 (1.148 to 3.623) for hypoHDL cholesterolemia; and, the former showed a dose-dependent relationship. Despite the small contribution of lunch to total food intake, it is suggested that habitual ingestion of instant noodles can lead to hypertriglyceridemia and hypoHDL cholesterolemia in male workers.