Healthy Diet and Lifestyle Add Years of Life in Elderly

A Mediterranean diet is one rich in fruits, vegetables, fish, nuts, whole grains, and fats such as olive oil. The diet is moderate in red meat and dairy products. Research published in the Journal of the American Medical Association investigated the single and combined effect of Mediterranean diet, being physically active, moderate alcohol use, and nonsmoking on causes of death in elderly European men and women. During a ten-year follow-up, deaths from coronary heart disease, cardiovascular diseases, cancer and overall mortality were analyzed. In this study, the combination of healthy diet and lifestyle led to a 65% reduction in the overall death rate and more than 50% reductions in deaths caused by coronary heart disease, cardiovascular diseases, and cancer. Adherence to a Mediterranean style diet, coupled with a few healthy lifestyle habits, can add years of life even among individuals aged 70 to 90 years.

JAMA. 2004 Sep 22;292(12):1433-9.

Fiber intake associated with reduced cardiovascular disease risk factors

Increased dietary fiber intake is associated with reduced levels of a number of cardiovascular disease risk factors. The results of a study published in the December 2005 issue of the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition adds to a growing body of evidence linking higher dietary fiber intake with a lower risk of heart disease.

Nearly 6,000 men and women were selected from participants in an ongoing trial designed to evaluate the effect of antioxidants on cancer and heart disease incidence over an eight year period.

The highest total and insoluble dietary fiber intakes were associated with reductions in the risks of overweight and elevated waist-to-hip ratio, blood pressure, plasma apolipoprotein (apo) B, apolipoprotein B to apolipoprotein A-I ratio, cholesterol, triacylglycerols, and homocysteine. Fiber from cereals was associated with a lower body mass index, blood pressure, and homocysteine concentration; fiber from vegetables with a lower blood pressure and homocysteine concentration; and fiber from fruit with a lower waist-to-hip ratio and blood pressure. Fiber from dried fruit or nuts and seeds was associated with a lower body mass index, waist-to-hip ratio, and fasting apo B and glucose concentrations.

The findings of this study illustrate the significance of increasing fiber intake from various dietary sources. The results also indicate that 25 grams total dietary fiber per day is the minimum intake required to attain a significant protective effect against cardiovascular disease, and that total dietary fiber intakes of 30-35 grams/day will likely provide an even greater protective effect.

American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, Vol. 82, No. 6, 1185-1194, December 2005

Vitamin E shows a heart health benefit in women

A study published in the July 6 2005 edition of the Journal of the American Medical Association found that vitamin E significantly reduced the risk of death from cardiovascular disease.

To date this is the largest and longest trial ever conducted on vitamin E, involving over 40,000 healthy women. When compared to placebo, there was a 24 percent reduction in cardiovascular deaths among the 20,000 women in the treatment group. Women over 65 received an even greater benefit, reducing their risk of heart attack incidence by 34 percent and heart attack death by 49 percent.

These findings are important since previous studies have examined unhealthy populations and then used the results to reach conclusions about the safety of vitamin E in healthy individuals. Many nutrition experts hope this will dispel some misconceptions about vitamin E and inspire other researchers to continue to study vitamin E and its potentially beneficial effects.

The Journal of the American Medical Association, Vol. 294, 56-65, July 2005.

Fish oil lowers heart rate

There is significant evidence that omega-3 fatty acids have anti-arrhythmic effects, which is associated with decreased death from various cardiovascular diseases.

A recent meta-analysis published in the Journal Circulation, further confirms this association. Researchers from the Harvard School of Public Health combined statistical analysis of thirty studies published from 1996 to 2005. These studies involved nearly 1,700 individuals treated with fish oil or placebo for up to one year. The median combined dose of EPA and DHA was 3.5 grams/day for an average of 8 weeks.

The overall estimated change in heart rate of those treated with fish oil was 1.6 beats per minute. The reduction in heart rate was even greater among trials whose participants had higher baseline heart rates. In those studies, treatment with fish oil resulted in a decreased heart rate of 2.5 beats per min. There was no evidence of a dose-response effect, and heart rate was not significantly different between higher and lower doses compared with placebo.

Although the overall effect of fish oil on heart rate appears small, researchers estimate that on a population basis this could correspond to as much as a 5% reduction in sudden death.

Mozaffarian D, Geelen A, Brouwer IA, Geleijnse JM, Zock PL, Katan MB. Effect of fish oil on heart rate in humans. A meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. Circulation 2005;112:1945-1952.