Study author Xianhui Qin, MD, of the National Clinical Research Center for Kidney Disease at Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University in Guangzhou, China.
There is a strong link between poor diet quality and an increased risk of cardiovascular disease and death from cardiovascular disease.
In its 2021 dietary guidelines for improving heart health, the American Heart Association recommends that people eat healthy sources of protein, which are primarily plant-based and can include seafood and other products. low-fat or fat-free dairy products, and if desired, lean cuts and unprocessed forms of meat or poultry.
The American Heart Association recommends eating one to two servings, or 5.5 ounces, of protein daily.
The study authors analyzed the health information of nearly 12,200 adults living in China who participated in at least 2 out of 7 rounds of the China Health and Nutrition Survey between 1997 and 2015. (surveys are done every 2-4 years).
The participants’ initial survey was used as the baseline, while the data from their final round was used as the follow-up basis for comparison. The participants had an average age of 41 years and 47% were male. The survey measured serving size in three consecutive 24-hour dietary recalls and household food inventories.
A trained interviewer collected 24-hour dietary information on 3 days in the same week during each survey round.
Participants were given a protein “diversity score” based on the number of different protein sources eaten among the eight reported sources: whole grains, refined grains, processed red meat, unprocessed red meat, poultry, fish, eggs and legumes. A score was given for each protein source, with a maximum diversity score of 8. The researchers then assessed the association for new-onset hypertension in relation to the protein diversity score.
New-onset hypertension is defined as systolic blood pressure (top number) greater than or equal to 140 mm Hg and/or diastolic blood pressure (bottom number) greater than or equal to 90 mm Hg, taking antihypertensive medication , or self-report that a doctor has diagnosed high blood pressure since their last survey. Median follow-up was 6 years.
Analysis shows:
“The heart health message is that consuming a balanced diet with protein from a variety of sources, rather than focusing on just one protein source, can help prevent the development of high blood pressure. “. Tan said.
One limitation of the study is its observational design. Because the researchers used previous health information, they could not prove with certainty that protein intake of any kind or amount caused or prevented new-onset hypertension.
Co-author is Chun Zhou, MS; Qimeng Wu, MS; Ziliang Ye, MS; Mengyi Liu, MS; Zhuxian Zhang, MS; Yuanyuan Zhang, MD; Huan Li, MD; Panpan He, MS; Qinqin Li, MS; and Chengzhang Liu, Disclosure by Author MS listed in the manuscript.
The research was funded by the National Natural Science Foundation of China, the Nanfang Hospital Youth Excellence Development Program, the Nanfang Hospital Clinical Research Program, and Nanfang Medical University.
Source: Eurekalert
