Background
It is unknown whether the Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) is associated with other blood pressure variables, beyond mean systolic (SBP) and diastolic blood pressures (DBP).
Objectives
The study aimed to study the associations between the DASH dietary pattern and daytime and nighttime mean BPs and BP variability independent of mean (VIM).
Methods
A sample of 324 Chinese adults aged ≥ 60 years who were not on BP-lowering medications were included in the analysis. The DASH score was calculated using data collected by a validated food frequency questionnaire. The 24-hour ambulatory BP was measured and the mean, SBP VIM and DBP VIM were calculated for both the daytime (0600 h – 2159 h) and nighttime periods (2200 h – 0559 h). Multivariable linear models were constructed to assess associations between the DASH dietary pattern and daytime and nighttime BP outcomes, adjusting for socio-demographic factors, lifestyle, body mass index, and hypertension (clinic SBP ≥ 140 mmHg or DBP ≥ 90 mmHg), and sleep parameters (only for nighttime BP outcomes). An interaction term between DASH score and hypertension status was added to explore the potential differential association in normotensive and hypertensive individuals.
Results
Every 1 unit increase in the DASH score was associated with a 0.18 unit (95%CI: −0.34, −0.01 unit) and a 0.22 unit (95%CI: –0.36, –0.09 unit) decrease in nighttime VIM SBP and nighttime VIM DBP, respectively. DASH score was not associated with any daytime BP outcomes, nighttime mean SBP, or nighttime mean DBP. A significant interaction (DASH score X hypertension status) was detected for VIM SBP (p-interaction = 0.04), indicating differential association between DASH score and nighttime VIM SBP by hypertension status.
Conclusions
Independent of sleep parameters and other factors, DASH dietary pattern is associated with lower nighttime blood pressure variability in elderly adults.