Consumption of animal and plant foods and risk of left ventricular diastolic dysfunction: the Bogalusa Heart Study

Abstract

Aims Left ventricular diastolic dysfunction (LVDD) is an early heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF) phenotype that is reversible. Identifying dietary predictors associated with LVDD in diverse populations may help broadly improve HFpEF primary prevention. Methods and results This longitudinal analysis included 456 individuals of the Bogalusa Heart Study (27% Black, 63% women, baseline age = 36.1 ± 4.4 years). Diet was measured at baseline through food frequency questionnaires. LVDD was defined at follow-up (median = 12.9 years) through echocardiographic measurement of the E/A ratio, E/e′ ratio, isovolumic relaxation time, and deceleration time. Multivariable-adjusted logistic regression estimated the risk of LVDD according to dietary predictor, adjusting for traditional cardiovascular disease risk factors. Compared with the lowest tertile, participants in the middle tertile of total protein (OR = 3.30, 95% CI: 1.46, 7.45) and animal protein (OR = 2.91, 95% CI: 1.34, 6.34) consumption experienced the highest risk of LVDD. There was a 77% and 56% lower risk of LVDD for persons in the middle vs. lowest tertile of vegetable (OR = 0.23, 95% CI: 0.11, 0.49) and legume consumption (OR = 0.44, 95% CI: 0.22, 0.85), respectively. Total protein, animal protein, processed meat, and egg consumption indicated a quadratic trend towards increased risk of LVDD, while legume and vegetable intake conferred a quadratic trend towards decreased risk of LVDD (all quadratic P < 0.05). Conclusions Diets higher in animal foods and lower in plant foods are associated with an increased risk for LVDD. These findings suggest threshold effects of diet on LVDD, past which more traditional cardiometabolic determinants occupy a larger role in HFpEF risk.

Standard and New Echocardio Techniques, Such as Global Longitudinal Strain, to Monitor the Impact of Diets on Cardiovascular Diseases and Heart Function

“…To the best of our knowledge, only two studies have evaluated the impact of plant-based diets on heart functionality. In a prospective study conducted on 456 individuals, with a median followup of 12.9 years, a lower risk of left ventricular diastolic dysfunction (LVDD), evaluated with echocardiography, was observed among people with a higher legume and vegetable intake [68]. Notably, in this study, even with low statistical significance, total and animal proteins were associated with higher risks of LVDD in women but not in men.…”

“…In contrast, fresh vegetable consumption conferred higher protective effects in men than in women. No differences were observed between different ethnicities [68]. The other study compared vegan and omnivorous amateur athletes (22 vegan athletes and 30 omnivorous) and showed that vegan athletes had a lower left ventricular mass and relative wall thickness but also a higher GLS [69].…”

Dietary Fibre from Whole Grains and Their Benefits on Metabolic Health

“…A high dietary fibre intake has also been shown to affect the incidence of hypertension, another risk factor associated with CVDs [ 105 ]. Several studies suggested that the consumption of SDF provides a safe way to reduce blood pressure [ 106 , 107 , 108 ]. In a Mediterranean cohort study, an inverse relation was found between cereal fibre intake and the risk of hypertension [ 109 ].…”

BALANCE Dietary Index in Patients with Heart Failure, and Its Adherence in Sergipe, Brazil

“…The most consumed foods in the green food group were bananas, beans, tomatoes, mangoes, oranges, passion fruit, apples, potatoes, pineapples and watermelon. Razavi et al [ 44 ] observed that the intake of diets rich in foods of animal origin and low in vegetables is associated with an increased risk for left ventricular diastolic dysfunction, an alteration associated with mortality.…”