Black adults with high blood pressure who received counseling from a nutritionist and home delivery of groceries following the DASH diet (meaning eating more fruits, vegetables, whole grains, low-fat dairy products, nuts, seeds, legumes, and lean protein) had an average 7 mmHg lower systolic blood pressure and 5 mmHg lower over a three-month period compared to participants who only received basic dietary guidance and grocery assistance. American College of Cardiology Annual Scientific Sessions (ACC.26).
Participants who received grocery deliveries also had an average reduction in low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol by 7 mg/dL compared to participants who received the stipend. The researchers said the findings suggest that programs that increase access to food items along the DASH (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension) approach may provide health benefits comparable to common blood pressure and cholesterol-lowering drugs.
We are very excited about the magnitude of the effect. It was more than we expected. This study provides a real direction towards self-management for hypertensive patients. ”
Stephen Juraschek, MD, PhD, Associate Professor of Nutrition at Harvard Medical School and Associate Professor of Nutrition at Harvard’s TH Chan School of Public Health, and lead author of the study
This study evaluated Black adults with hypertension living in food deserts where access to fresh produce and high-quality foods is limited. Hypertension is more common among Black adults in the United States than any other race or ethnicity, and the prevalence of cardiovascular disease is higher in this population. Approximately 58% of Black adults have hypertension, compared to 48% of the U.S. adult population as a whole.
Previous research by Juraschek et al. has highlighted the benefits of adhering to the heart-healthy DASH dietary pattern, with one study suggesting that the DASH diet reduces the 10-year risk of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease in black adults by nearly 14%. In a new study, researchers sought to evaluate the benefits of the DASH intervention for Black adults with hypertension who may face difficulties obtaining DASH-compliant foods.
Researchers enrolled 176 participants who lived in Boston-area communities characterized by low income and few grocery stores, and whose resting systolic blood pressure was between 120 mmHg and 149 mmHg despite being actively treated for high blood pressure. The average age of the participants was 60 years, and 80% were women. Half received home-delivered groceries ordered with personalized guidance from a nutritionist, and half received a monthly grocery stipend and a pamphlet explaining the DASH diet. For groups receiving grocery deliveries, dietitians helped participants create grocery lists and plan meals they could prepare at home based on four principles. Aim for a 2:1 potassium to sodium ratio. Limit saturated fat to less than 7% of total calories. Follow the DASH pattern of eating, which limits processed foods and sweets in addition to salt and saturated fat.
“With the help of a nutritionist, everyone was able to choose food items for themselves and their families according to the DASH principles,” Jurachek said. “We tried to keep things as general and simple as possible and give them choice, so people could come up with different combinations to achieve these goals based on their food preferences.”
At three months, participants who received grocery deliveries showed significantly greater reductions in systolic blood pressure compared to the group who received grocery benefits, meeting the study’s primary endpoint. Reductions in LDL cholesterol and diastolic blood pressure were also significantly greater in the group that received grocery deliveries. Group differences in systolic blood pressure were maintained in follow-up measurements taken 3 months after grocery delivery and the end of the scholarship.
The findings add to a growing body of evidence pointing to the impact of nutrition on cardiovascular health and demonstrate the importance of addressing the barriers some people face when consuming foods to maintain a heart-healthy diet. The researchers said health insurance companies, urban planners and public health workers could focus on policies and programs to make healthy foods more affordable and accessible as a means of promoting health and preventing heart disease.
“What’s interesting about the nutritional approach is that it not only has multiple effects on blood pressure and cholesterol, but it also allows us to move forward prophylactically without the side effects and interactions that we see with some drugs,” Juracek said.
The study was limited to one metropolitan area and lasted only three months. Grocery delivery programs have worked well in the Boston area, but may not be viable in rural areas, Jurachek said. He said further research could examine long-term outcomes, additional endpoints to better understand cardiovascular health, and outcomes in other high-risk populations, such as people with diabetes and those with systolic blood pressure above 150 mmHg.
The study received funding from the National Institutes of Health’s National Institute on Minority Health and the Health Disparities Institute.
The study was published online at the same time. natural medicine At the time of the presentation.
Djuracek will present the study, “DASH-Patterned Food Products Lower Blood Pressure in Adults Treated with Hypertension: Results of the GoFreshRx Randomized Clinical Trial,” on Saturday, March 28 at 3:45 PM CT/8:45 PM UTC in the main tent of the Great Hall.
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American College of Cardiology
