Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a major respiratory disorder characterized by irreversible airflow limitation. The role of diet in the prevention and management of COPD is receiving increasing attention. This study aimed to examine the association between the composite intake of vegetables, fruits, meat, and fish and pulmonary function as well as COPD prevalence in a representative sample of Korean adults aged ≥ 40 years using data from the 7th Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. Higher vegetable intake was associated with significantly better pulmonary function parameters, including forced vital capacity (p < 0.001), forced vital capacity percent predicted (p = 0.050), forced expiratory volume (FEV) in 1 second (FEV₁; p < 0.001), FEV₁ percent predicted (p = 0.038), FEV in 6 seconds (p < 0.001), and peak expiratory flow (p < 0.001). Furthermore, individuals with a high combined intake of vegetables, fruits, meat, and fish demonstrated a 0.261-fold lower COPD prevalence than those without such intake (p = 0.039). The dietary inflammatory index (DII) was significantly lower among participants without COPD than among those with COPD (mean DII = −3.6947, p = 0.002), indicating that a diet rich in anti-inflammatory nutrients can help reduce COPD risk. These findings suggest that vegetable consumption supports improved respiratory function, and a composite dietary pattern incorporating various food groups may help reduce the prevalence of COPD in the adult population.

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a major cause of disability, and according to statistics from the World Health Organization, COPD is the fourth leading cause of death overall in the face of decades, and expected to be increased. In 2005, the reported prevalence of COPD in Korea was 17.2% of adults over the age of 45. Malnutrition is a common problem in papatients with COPD. And several nutritional intervention studies showed a significant improvement in physical and functional outcomes. According to the results of previous studies, the nutritional support is important. This is a case report of a patient with COPD who was introduced to a proper diet through nutrition education based on the medical nutrition therapy protocol for COPD.

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