Cardiovascular disease (CVD) remains the leading cause of death in the United States, taking more than 800,000 lives each year.
Adopting a healthy diet is one of the key strategies to mitigate CVD risk factors such as high blood pressure and cholesterol levels, thereby preventing atherosclerotic heart disease.
Despite the importance of diet in heart health, there is limited data to guide individuals in choosing the most effective heart-healthy diet.
The Prevalence of Cardiovascular Health Concerns: In the United States, several cardiovascular health issues are widespread:
Hypertension (High Blood Pressure): Approximately 47% of U.S. adults grapple with high blood pressure, a significant risk factor for heart problems and strokes.
Prediabetes and Type 2 Diabetes: Nearly half of U.S. adults contend with prediabetes or type 2 diabetes, both of which can lead to severe complications such as kidney issues and heart attacks.
Obesity: Roughly 42% of U.S. adults are categorized as obese, a substantial risk factor for various health problems, including diabetes and heart diseases.
The Role of Lifestyle Modifications: For individuals dealing with these cardiovascular health challenges, making lifestyle changes, particularly dietary modifications, is often the initial step to manage these conditions.
However, the ongoing debate among experts centers on identifying the most effective dietary approach.
Researchers at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center (BIDMC) conducted a comprehensive study involving 459 adults aged 22 to 75, focusing on individuals who had participated in the original Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) trial between 1994 and 1996.
This study aimed to compare the impact of three distinct dietary patterns on an individual’s risk of experiencing a cardiovascular event within the next decade. The three diets examined were:
The DASH Diet: Emphasizes fruits and vegetables, whole grains, lean proteins, nuts, and low-fat dairy, while reducing fat, saturated fat, cholesterol, and sugar.
A Diet Rich in Fruits and Vegetables: Provides more fruits and vegetables but does not significantly differ from a standard diet high in fat and sodium.
The Western Diet: Typically low in fruits and vegetables, high in fat, and sodium.
The study’s intent-to-treat analyses revealed significant findings:
Both the DASH diet and the fruit/vegetable-rich diet reduced participants’ 10-year risk for atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease by approximately 10% over an eight-week period.
However, the effects varied across demographics:
The DASH diet reduced the 10-year risk score by nearly 13% among women, compared to just over 6% among men.
Among Black adults, the DASH diet reduced the 10-year risk score by almost 14%, while the reduction was only 3% among non-Black adults.
These study findings have significant implications for both healthcare practitioners and policymakers.
Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death in women, and hypertension is more strongly associated with heart failure and mortality in women compared to men.
The study suggests that the DASH diet may be particularly efficacious for women, highlighting the relevance of lifestyle counseling for this group.
Furthermore, considering disparities in access to healthy foods among Black adults, the DASH dietary pattern may offer greater preventive benefits than simply emphasizing increased fruit and vegetable intake.
This is especially pertinent, given that dietary patterns play a crucial role in hypertension risk among Black adults.
If you care about heart health, please read studies about how eating eggs can help reduce heart disease risk, and herbal supplements could harm your heart rhythm.
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The research findings can be found in The American Journal of Cardiology.
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