Relationship between dietary patterns and brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity among middle-aged adults in Japan

Arterial stiffness is a leading cause of cardiovascular disease (CVD), and it is considered to be affected by dietary intake. However, few studies have examined the relationship between major dietary patterns and brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity (baPWV) among Japanese middle-aged subjects. We studied whether major dietary patterns were associated with baPWV in this population.

Between 2009 and 2012, 70 Japanese middle-aged subjects (39 men and 31 women) with no history of stroke, coronary heart disease, or cancer were studied. Dietary intake was documented using a validated food-frequency questionnaire, and dietary patterns were generated using factor analysis. Correlational analyses were performed between baPWV and identified dietary patterns and between baPWV and individual risk factors (total cholesterol, triglyceride, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol [LDL-C], high-density lipoprotein cholesterol [HDL-C], non- HDL-C, LDL/HDL ratio, and augmentation index).

Two dietary patterns were identified: a rice-rich pattern (high in rice, breads, oils and fats, meats, and confectionery) and a vegetable-rich pattern (high in vegetables, fruit, fish, and seaweed). The rice-rich pattern was not associated with baPWVor other risk factors. A significant inverse correlation was found between baPWV and the vegetable-rich dietary pattern (p<0.05).

Our findings suggest that a dietary pattern characterized by high consumption of vegetables, seafood, seaweed, fruit, and pulse is inversely associated with arterial stiffness measured by baPWV. This diet offers an additional nutritional approach to the prevention and treatment of arterial stiffness.