Cross-Sectional Association of Dietary Patterns and Supplement Intake with Presence and Gray-Scale Median of Carotid Plaques—A Comparison between Women and Men in the Population-Based Hamburg City Health Study

Abstract

This population-based cross-sectional cohort study investigated the association of the Mediterranean and DASH (Dietary Approach to Stop Hypertension) diet as well as supplement intake with gray-scale median (GSM) and the presence of carotid plaques comparing women and men. Low GSM is associated with plaque vulnerability. Ten thousand participants of the Hamburg City Health Study aged 45–74 underwent carotid ultrasound examination. We analyzed plaque presence in all participants plus GSM in those having plaques (n = 2163). Dietary patterns and supplement intake were assessed via a food frequency questionnaire. Multiple linear and logistic regression models were used to assess associations between dietary patterns, supplement intake and GSM plus plaque presence. Linear regressions showed an association between higher GSM and folate intake only in men (+9.12, 95% CI (1.37, 16.86), p = 0.021). High compared to intermediate adherence to the DASH diet was associated with higher odds for carotid plaques (OR = 1.18, 95% CI (1.02, 1.36), p = 0.027, adjusted). Odds for plaque presence were higher for men, older age, low education, hypertension, hyperlipidemia and smoking. In this study, the intake of most supplements, as well as DASH or Mediterranean diet, was not significantly associated with GSM for women or men. Future research is needed to clarify the influence, especially of the folate intake and DASH diet, on the presence and vulnerability of plaques.

Nutrition and Specific Diseases in Women during the Life Course

“…Four other research papers investigated cardiovascular disease risk factors within the large, population-based, longitudinal Hamburg City Health Study (HCHS) [5,6], the Australian Longitudinal Study of Women's Health (ALSWH) [7], and a cross-sectional study from Taiwan [8]. In addition to conventional modifiable risk factors such as overweight, hypertension, hyperlipidaemia, and smoking or the consumption of alcohol, nutritionrelated risk factors were highlighted as being more important.…”

“…From the life course perspective, the phases of prepuberty [4], pregnancy [14], and postpartum [7] as well as breastfeeding [10], middle-aged [5,6], and postmenopausal [8] women were investigated. In one study, older women were compared to younger women [9].…”

“…In one study, older women were compared to younger women [9]. Two studies compared men with women [5,6].…”