Impact of Food Desert Residence on Ischemic Stroke and Hospitalization Risk in Atrial Fibrillation Patients

Extensive research has been done on the connection between dietary habits and cardiovascular health; however, the impact of food desert residence on atrial fibrillation (AF) patients remains unclear.

The aim of this study is to assess the association between food desert residence and ischemic stroke, all-cause hospitalization, and all-cause mortality risk among AF patients.

Using the Research Action for Health Network database and the United States Department of Agriculture's Food Access Research Atlas, AF patients in New Orleans were grouped into AF-inside food desert group and AF-outside food desert groups. Kaplan-Meier curves were used for the comparisons among ischemic stroke, all-cause hospitalization, all-cause mortality, and combined outcome. Multivariable Cox models were developed to adjust for relevant factors.

Among the AF patients living in the New Orleans metropolitan area, 1,115 were identified as part of the AFID group and 438 in the AFOD group. Kaplan-Meier curves presented differences in ischemic stroke, all-cause hospitalization, all-cause mortality, and composite outcomes between the 2 groups. In Cox regression, after controlling for age, biological sex, body mass index, comorbidities, and medications including anticoagulant use, the AFID group experienced a statistically significant higher risk of ischemic stroke (HR: 2.21; 95% CI: 1.12-4.36; P = 0.02), mortality (HR: 3.84; 95% CI: 1.39-10.61; P = 0.01), and composite outcomes including hospitalization, ischemic stroke, and all-cause mortality (HR: 1.42; 95% CI: 1.16-1.74; P < 0.001)) as compared to the AFOD group.

Residence in a food desert was associated with a 2.2-fold increase in stroke risk and a 3.8-fold increase in all-cause mortality among AF patients.