title: Metabolic characteristics of breakfast-vegetarian (BV) elderly people in rural Taiwan.
abstract: Breakfast-vegetarianism (BV) is a special dietary habit in Chinese society, which is related to religious beliefs rather than health concerns. The purpose of this study was to compare metabolic characteristics of community-living middle-aged and elderly BV and non-vegetarians (NVs) in Taiwan. In 2000, people aged over 40 in I-Lan County were invited for study. In total, 367 people (mean age: 62.0+/-11.2 years, 57.8% female) participated in this study and 68 of them were BV. The BV subjects were less likely to consume oily food (29.4% vs. 43.1%, p=0.025), to smoke (5.9% vs. 23.1%, p<0.001) and to habitually consume alcohol (2.9% vs. 19.1%, p<0.001). Compared with NVs, the BVs were more prone to be females (86.8% vs. 44.7%, p<0.001), having lower glomerular filtration rate (GFR) (64.5+/-13.7 vs. 69.9+/-14.6ml/(kgmin), p=0.006), higher prevalence of metabolic syndrome (69.1% vs. 45.8%, p<0.001) and chronic kidney disease (CKD) (44.1% vs. 22.7%, p<0.001). By using logistic regression, females and chronic kidney disease were independently associated with the breakfast-vegetarianism. In conclusion, Taiwanese BVs seemed to lead a healthier life, but their metabolic characteristics were not significantly different from the NVs. Outcome study is needed to clarify the impact of BV habits on health.
authors.affiliation: Department of Family Medicine, Taipei Veterans General Hospital, No. 201, Shih-Pai Road Section 2, Taipei 11217, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Shiow-Jen
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Juang
authors.forename: Li-Ning
authors.initials: LN
authors.lastname: Peng
authors.forename: Ming-Hsien
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.forename: Hsiu-Yun
authors.initials: HY
authors.lastname: Lai
authors.forename: Shinn-Jang
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Hwang
authors.forename: Liang-Kung
authors.initials: LK
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Shu-Ti
authors.initials: ST
authors.lastname: Chiou
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000375:Aging / Q000378:metabolism; D000886:Anthropometry; D015331:Cohort Studies; D014676:Diet, Vegetarian / Q000208:ethnology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D002149:Energy Intake; D005260:Female; D015577:Geriatric Assessment; D005919:Glomerular Filtration Rate; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D024821:Metabolic Syndrome / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D011336:Probability; D012016:Reference Values; D051436:Renal Insufficiency, Chronic / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D018570:Risk Assessment; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013624:Taiwan / Q000453:epidemiology