Unraveling the Relationship Between Cultural Food Habits and Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease in Men: A Case-Control Study in Kazakhstan

Abstract

Abstract Background: Limited research exists on the link between cultural food habits (CFH) COPD risk, in Kazakhstan. Despite a high COPD prevalence in the country, no prior studies have investigated long-term dietary effects on COPD risk [1]. To bridge this gap, the Ministry of Healthcare of the Republic of Kazakhstan is supporting research via grant OR12165486, titled "National Programme for the Introduction of Personalized and Preventive Medicine in The Republic of Kazakhstan (2021–2023)." This case-control study is part of the funded research. Aim: We sought to investigate the association between long-term red meat consumption and risk of COPD. Methods: Conducted in Almaty, our case-control study focused on 609 men aged 30 to 85 years. From 2018 to 2023, participants with an average age of 51.2 years (95% CI 48.1–54.3) were monitored. The evaluation of unprocessed and processed red meat consumption occurred through self-administered surveys in both 2018 and 2023. Notably, the study concentrated solely on non-smokers to ensure robust associations between red meat consumption and COPD. Results: Among individuals with COPD, key factors associated with the condition included frequent red meat consumption (more than 10 times per month, 84.9%), having a body mass index (BMI) exceeding 25 (73.6%), consuming over 100 grams of red meat per serving (62.3%), and having less than 100 grams of fresh fruits per serving (52.8%). Conversely, in the control group, significant factors were past-year alcohol consumption (69.2%), frequent red meat intake (more than 10 times per month, 62.9%), consuming over 100 grams of red meat per serving (55.8%), and infrequent consumption of fresh fruits (less than 30 times per month, 52.0%). Conclusion: The findings suggest that high consumption of red meat, low consumption of fresh fruits and vegetables, and a preference for fatty foods may increase the risk of COPD among men in Kazakhstan.