This study aimed to determine the association between dietary pattern (DP) and coronary heart disease (CHD) among high-risk adults as determined by metabolic syndrome (MetS) criteria in Malaysia. This cross-sectional study involved 365 participants with (CHD = 178; non-CHD = 187) who were recruited from selected health clinics. Dietary intake was measured using a 189-item semi-quantitative foods frequency questionnaire (FFQ) whilst anthropometry and clinical data were measured by trained researcher and biochemical data were obtained from medical records. The reduced rank regression (RRR) method was used to derive DPs scores and binary logistic regression was used to assess the associations between identified DPs and CHD. The main DP found in this study was characterised by “high saturated fatty acid (SFA), high dietary energy density (DED), high sodium”. This DP, which is attributed to high consumption of coconut-based dishes, fast foods and snacks, rice dishes, fat spread, seasoning sauces, salted and processed foods, and low intake of fruits, green leafy vegetables, white rice and other vegetables were associated with CHD (OR:1.32, 95% CI:1.03, 1.69) p value = 0.026 when, adjusted for age, sex, race, education level, household income, family history of CHD, marital status, smoking status, physical activity, stress level and BMI. This study suggests that individuals with a DP of high SFA, high DED, and high sodium have a significantly increased likelihood of having CHD compared to those who do not practice this DP.

Introduction: This study aimed to determine the risk factors of CHD among the Malaysian adult population. Methods: Using a cross- sectional observational study design, this study involved 365 adult patients aged between 30-64 years, attending clinics from eight government hospitals and four health clinics in Terengganu, Pahang, Selangor, Putrajaya, Penang, Kedah, Johor and Sabah from February 2018 until September 2020. Sociodemographic characteristics, clinical and dietary data, physical activity and stress level were recorded using a structured questionnaire. Multiple logistic regression was used to analyse CHD risk factors. Results: The overall response rate was 99.2%. The adjusted odds ratio of CHD was greater for age (AOR; [%95 CI]) (1.043;[ 1.009,1.078]); waist circumference (1.033;[1.009, 1.057]); total fat intake (1.035;[1.021, 1.050]); full cream dairy products intake (1.004;[1.001, 1.008]); smokers vs non-smokers (4.691;[2.399, 9.176]); individual with family history of CHD vs without family history (2.705;[ 1.496, 4.891]); married vs single (0.434;[ 0.217,0.867]); and lower for HDL cholesterol (0.185;[0.052, 0.662]); Chinese vs Malays (10.619;[ 2.255, 49.995]); and third lowest income (0.197;[ 0.073, 0.532]) and forth lowest income (0.167;[ 0.056, 0.499]) vs lowest income. Conclusion: Age, race, income, smoking and marital status, family history of CHD, waist circumference, HDL cholesterol, total fat intake, full cream dairy products intake were significantly associated with CHD among this population. This finding is particularly important to the primary health carers to identify at-risk CHD individuals thus appropriate intervention could be provided.