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Some foods associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular disease in middle age are highlighted by researchers from the University of Oxford in their new study – See which ones they are and eliminate them from your diet
Two common eating patterns, which include high consumption of chocolate and sweets may be related to increased risk of cardiovascular disease and death in middle age, according to a study published in BMC Medicine.
More specifically, researchers from the University of Oxford identified two diets that were associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular disease and death in middle age. The first included Much chocolate, sweets, butter and white bread and some fresh fruit and vegetables. The second included many drinks with sugary sweeteners, fruit juices, chocolate, confectionery, table sugar and preservatives and some butter and high-fat cheese.
To examine the effects of diet on the risk of cardiovascular disease and mortality, the authors analyzed data from 116,806 adults from England, Scotland and Wales, aged 37 to 73 years and a mean age of 56 years. The participants reported the food they had eaten during the previous 24 hours, and then the researchers identified the nutrients in the food groups the participants had eaten and calculated the incidence of cardiovascular disease and mortalitythrough hospital admission and death records up to 2017 and 2020 respectively.
Scientists found that those who followed the first nutritionthe they were more likely to be male, young, economically challenged, smokers, less physically active, obese or hypertensive compared to those whose diet was not high in the foods belonging to this diet. In the first diet group, the subjects who were nOlder than 60 years or overweight or obese had a higher risk of cardiovascular disease than those who were older than 60 years or had a normal weight.
From the other side, the participants following the second type of dietit was found that they had increased risk of cardiovascular disease and mortality, although they tended to be physically active and were less likely to smoke or have obesity, hypertension, diabetes or high cholesterol than those who did not follow this diet. Women, people younger than 60 or suffering from obesity in particular had a higher risk of cardiovascular disease, if they consumed a diet high in second diet foods.
The authors caution that the observational nature of the study does not allow conclusions about a causal relationship between diet, cardiovascular disease and mortality. In addition, as the dietary data were obtained from individual 24-hour assessments and not from an ongoing time period, they may not be representative of participants’ diets over time. Future research could explore possible reasons for the associations between the diets examined in this study and cardiovascular disease and mortality.
“Our research suggests that lower consumption of chocolate, confectionery, butter, low-fibre bread, drinks with sugary sweeteners, standardized fruit juices, table sugar and preservatives could be associated with a lower risk of cardiovascular disease or death in middle age. Our conclusions are also consistent with a previous study that indicated that eating foods that contain fewer sugars and calories may be associated with a lower risk of cardiovascular disease. The findings of this study could be used to create food-based nutritional counseling to help people follow a healthier diet and reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease,” concludes Carmen Piernas, author of the study.