Food Intake and the Risk of Gallstone Formation in Korean

Abstract

Incidence of gallstone disease has been increasing in Asian population, but there has been no study investigating the association between food intake and the risk of gallstone disease in Asian population. The purpose of the present study was to investigate the association between intake of food and the risk of gallstone disease in Korea population. Patients (n=161) who underwent laparoscopic cholecystectomy were recruited, and their dietary habit compared with age and sex matched controls without gallstone (n=99). Patients with gallstone disease consumed significantly more beans and milk products, but less coffee and alcohol as compared with controls. Consistently, risk of gallstone disease was positively associated with intake of beans and milk products, whereas negatively associated with intake of coffee and moderate alcohol. Moderate consumption of alcohol was defined as 0 < to ≤ 7 glass/week for female and 0 < to ≤ 14 glass/week for male. However, intake of other food groups and nutrients was not significantly associated with the risk of gallstone disease. In conclusion, the present study showed that risk for gallstone disease was associated with intake of beans, milk products, coffee and moderate alcohol in Korean population, suggesting that diet also play an important role in prevention of gallstone in Korean population.