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Mediterranean diet linked to improvements in CV health

Mediterranea Diet
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By Michael Monostra

Adults who eat more foods associated with a Mediterranean diet have lower blood pressure, BMI and reduced cardiovascular risk, according to study findings published in Nutrition, Metabolism & Cardiovascular Diseases.

“Our data support the notion that the consumption of a Mediterranean diet may be beneficial for CV health, including in non-Mediterranean settings such as the U.K.,” Sarah Gregory, PhD, a postdoctoral research fellow in the Edinburgh Dementia Prevention program at University of Edinburgh in the U.K., and colleagues wrote. Read the article in Healio.

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Healthy diet including full-fat dairy lowers risk for heart disease, death worldwide

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By Regina Shaffer

Researchers reported that a diet comprised of higher amounts of fruit, vegetables, nuts, legumes, fish and whole-fat dairy is associated with lower CVD and mortality in all world regions, especially in countries with lower income.

In an analysis of data from four large, international prospective cohort studies from 80 countries and two case-control studies from 62 countries, researchers found that a 20% higher PURE healthy diet score was associated with a 6% lower risk for major CV events and an 8% lower risk for mortality. Read the full article in Healio.

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Healthy plant-based diet shows potential for prevention of cognitive decline

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By Emma Bascom

Adhering to a healthy plant-based diet for 3 years was associated with a reduced risk for cognitive impairment, but following an unhealthy plant-based diet was linked to a greater risk, according to recent study results.

Previous studies lack evidence on how changes in plant-based dietary quality impact the risk for cognitive impairment, Kai Ding, of Wuhan University’s School of Public Health in China, and colleagues wrote in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. Read more in Healio.

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Researchers recommend limiting added sugar intake to 6 teaspoons daily

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By Emma Bascom
To prevent the adverse effects of added sugars, researchers recommend reducing intake to about 6 teaspoons per day and having less than one sugar-sweetened beverage every week.

Recent research has shown that higher intake of added sugars, also known as “free sugars,” was linked to a higher risk for CVD, and substituting them with non-free sugars was inversely associated with both total CVD and stroke incidence.
Read more in Healio.

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Mediterranean diet named best overall diet for sixth straight year

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For the sixth year in a row, the Mediterranean diet has been named the best overall diet by nutritional experts from U.S. News & World Report, the company announced.

According to the American Heart Association, the Mediterranean diet emphasizes a variety of nutrients rather than one food group, including olive oil as a primary fat source, fish, fruits, dairy products, eggs, nuts, legumes, whole grains and vegetables, which can help to reduce CVD risk factors. Read more in Healio.

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Post-Transplant Nutrition: Protein, Fluids, Potassium, and Food Safety

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Diet is one of many challenges that patients face post-transplant – the combination of requirements and restrictions can be difficult to navigate. To help, CareDx partnered with Molly Chanzis, a Registered Dietitian at New York-Presbyterian Weill Cornell Medical Center specializing in medical nutrition therapy and nutrition counseling specifically for transplant patients.

We hosted a webinar with Molly focused on diet and nutrition post-transplant; this article has been adapted from Molly’s presentation. Read the full story on CareDx.com.

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High frequency of adding salt to food may cause premature mortality, lower life expectancy

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Higher frequencies of adding salt to food were associated with premature mortality and lower life expectancy, according to study findings published in the European Heart Journal.

“The evidence in relation to sodium/salt intakes and mortality is still controversial,” Lu Qi, MD, PhD, FAHA, HCA Regents Distinguished Chair and professor in the department of epidemiology at Tulane University School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine, told Healio. “This study may motivate further investigations, which may provide evidence to affect the recommendation of adding salt.” Read more Healio.

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Mortality Numbers Put the Humble Salt Shaker in the Hot Seat

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— Cancer, cardiovascular deaths associated with salt used outside cooking

More generous use of salt outside cooking was associated with premature mortality — but not in people eating more potassium rich-foods such as vegetables and fruits — according to a study of over half a million people.

Participants from the U.K. Biobank reported their frequency of table salt use, with higher use linked to a rising risk of all-cause mortality over a median 9.0 years of follow-up (P<0.001 for trend):Never: adjusted HR 1.00 (reference)

-Sometimes: adjusted HR 1.02 (95% CI 0.99-1.06)
-Usually: adjusted HR 1.07 (95% CI 1.02-1.11)
-Always: adjusted HR 1.28 (95% CI 1.20-1.35)
Read the full article in MedPage Today.

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5 Sneaky Sources of Sugar

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Today, the average American consumes almost 152 pounds of sugar each year, which breaks down to almost 3 pounds (or 6 cups!) of sugar each week. That’s a lot of sugar – so it shouldn’t come as a surprise to that sugar may be a key factor contributing to our national obesity epidemic.

Obesity increases your risk of developing high blood pressure and diabetes, two of the leading causes of kidney disease. To protect your kidneys, it’s important to maintain a healthy weight and follow a healthy diet. This means paying attention to food nutrition labels and considering the impact sugar – in addition to fat, sodium and other ingredients — has on our diets. Read more from the National Kidney Foundation.

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Post-Transplant Nutrition: Protein, Fluids, Potassium, and Food Safety

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Diet is one of many challenges that patients face post-transplant – the combination of requirements and restrictions can be difficult to navigate. To help, CareDx partnered with Molly Chanzis, a Registered Dietitian at New York-Presbyterian Weill Cornell Medical Center specializing in medical nutrition therapy and nutrition counseling specifically for transplant patients.

We hosted a webinar with Molly focused on diet and nutrition post-transplant; this article has been adapted from Molly’s presentation. Read the full article on CareDx.com.

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