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6 articles highlighting the impact of diet on CV health
Regardless of religious affiliation, one reliable tradition during the holidays is food. Whether it be holiday dinners, baking cookies or stress eating, food will always be a cornerstone of most famil y gatherings during the holidays.
One thing to keep in mind this holiday season is the impact that food has on the heart.
Cardiology Today compiled a list of recent articles discussing the impact of diet on CV health.
Sodium, coconut oil, sugar intake affects CVD risk
ANAHEIM, Calif. — Coconut oil, sodium and added sugars contribute to an increased risk for CVD, according to presentations at American Heart Association Scientific Sessions.
VIDEO: Dietary choices empower patients to control BP levels
ANAHEIM, Calif. — In this Cardiology Today video perspective, John P. Higgins, MD, MPhil, MBA, FACC, FACP, FAHA, discusses the benefits of the low-sodium DASH diet in light of preliminary results presented at the American Heart Association Scientific Sessions.
“What was amazing in this study was that in the people that had the highest [systolic] BP — over 150 mm Hg — were able to achieve up to a 20 mm drop in their BP in the individuals that were doing both the low-salt and the DASH diet,” Higgins said.
Almonds, dark chocolate reduce CHD risk in adults with overweight, obesity
Adults with overweight or obesity who incorporated almonds alone or combined with dark chocolate into their diets improved their lipid profiles, according to a study published in the Journal of the American Heart Association.
“It’s important to put this into context: The message is not that people should go out and eat a lot of chocolate and almonds to lower their LDL,” Penny M. Kris-Etherton, PhD, RD, distinguished professor of nutrition at Pennsylvania State University, said in a press release. “People are allowed to have about 270 discretionary calories a day, and when foods like almonds, dark chocolate and cocoa are consumed together as a discretionary food, they confer health benefits unlike other discretionary foods such as frosted doughnuts.”
Healthy diet associated with meeting metabolic targets
Brazilian patients with type 2 diabetes who reported consuming a diet high in whole carbohydrates, dairy, white meat and fish were more likely to meet therapeutic targets for fasting plasma glucose, HbA1c and LDL vs. those who consumed more refined carbohydrates and processed foods, study data show.
Q&A: Omega-3 fatty acid intake remains low despite known benefits
Omega-3 fatty acids found in fatty fish and seafood have previously been associated with CVD protection. Regan L. Bailey, PhD, MPH, RD, associate professor in the department of nutrition science at Purdue University, and former nutritional epidemiologist at the Office of Dietary Supplements at the NIH, and colleagues compared populations from Germany and the United States on their knowledge and beliefs of omega-3 fatty acids in a study published in Nutrients.
Skipping breakfast linked to increased CV risk
According to a recent study, the number and quality of eating occasions are included among potential targets for primary prevention strategies that have a large effect on CV health.
“Eating patterns are highly dependent on cultural, social and psychological determinants, as people integrate them into their daily life routines,” Irina Uzhova, MSc, from the Centro Nacional de Investigaciones Cardiovasculares Carlos III in Madrid, and colleagues wrote. “A particular habit that might have a significant effect on CV health is breakfast consumption, as it is associated with factors such as satiety, daily energy intake, metabolic efficiency on the diet and appetite regulation.”