Dietary Patterns in Association With Hypertension: A Community-Based Study in Eastern China

Area of Science:

• Nutritional Epidemiology
• Cardiovascular Health
• Public Health

Background:

• Hypertension is a major global health concern, particularly in rapidly developing regions like Eastern China.
• Dietary patterns are increasingly recognized as significant modifiable risk factors for hypertension.
• Understanding specific dietary associations is crucial for targeted public health interventions.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the relationship between distinct dietary patterns and the prevalence of hypertension.
• To identify specific dietary components or combinations associated with hypertension risk in a Chinese adult population.

Main Methods:

• Cross-sectional study utilizing data from the Suzhou Food Consumption and Health State Survey (2018-2019).
• Dietary intake assessed via 24-hour recall and weighing methods over three days.
• Factor analysis identified dietary patterns; multivariable logistic regression analyzed associations with hypertension.

Main Results:

• Four dietary patterns were identified: rice-vegetable, fast food, fruit-dairy, and wheat-meat.
• A significant inverse association was found between the fruit-dairy pattern and hypertension (OR = 0.55; 95% CI: 0.40, 0.75; P = 0.002).
• No significant associations were observed for rice-vegetable or fast food patterns; wheat-meat association was non-significant in sensitivity analyses.

Conclusions:

• The fruit-dairy dietary pattern is associated with a lower risk of hypertension among Chinese adults.
• Promoting diets rich in fruits and dairy may be a key strategy for hypertension prevention.
• These findings underscore the role of dietary composition in managing cardiovascular health.