In a new study from Southern Medical University, researchers found a balanced diet that includes protein from a variety of sources may lower the risk for developing high blood pressure.
They found that Chinese adults whose diets included the greatest variety of protein sources had a substantially lower risk of developing high blood pressure than those who consumed the least variety.
Nearly half of U.S. adults have high blood pressure, also called hypertension. It is a major risk factor for heart disease, stroke, and other chronic diseases.
Prior studies have shown a strong link between poor diet quality and a higher risk of cardiovascular disease, but studies analyzing the link between dietary protein and blood pressure levels have been inconsistent.
The AHA recommends eating no more than about 5.5 ounces of protein daily, about one to two servings, from healthy sources such as plants, seafood, low-fat or fat-free dairy products, and some lean meats and poultry.
In the study, the team analyzed data for 12,117 adults between 1997 and 2015, with an average follow-up time of six years.
Slightly less than half of the participants – who were an average 41 years old – were men.
Protein sources included whole grains, refined grains, processed red meat, unprocessed red meat, poultry, fish, eggs, and legumes.
Participants who reported taking blood pressure-lowering medication or being diagnosed with high blood pressure since their last survey were considered to have new-onset hypertension.
When total protein intake was calculated, those who ate the least and the most total protein were at the greatest risk for developing high blood pressure.
When looking at protein variety, those who scored highest for eating a variety were 66% less likely to end up with hypertension than those who scored lowest.
The team says the heart health message is that consuming a balanced diet with proteins from various different sources, rather than focusing on a single source of dietary protein, may help to prevent the development of high blood pressure.
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The study is published in Hypertension and was conducted by Dr. Xianhui Qin et al.
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