Plant-Based Diets and Prevalent Pre-Heart Failure in the Echocardiographic Study of Latinos (Echo-SOL)

To evaluate associations of plant-based dietary index (PDI) patterns and component food groups with prevalent pre-heart failure among U.S. Hispanic/Latino adults.

Among 1,714 Hispanic/Latino adults aged 45-74 years participating in the Echocardiographic Study of Latinos, three continuous PDIs (overall [oPDI], healthy [hPDI], and unhealthy [uPDI]) were derived from two 24-hour dietary recalls. Prevalent pre-HF was based on the presence of abnormal left ventricular (LV) ejection fraction, global longitudinal strain, diastolic function, LV mass index, or relative wall thickness. Survey-weighted multivariable logistic models estimated cross-sectional associations using odds ratios (ORs) overall and by Hispanic/Latino heritage.

None of the PDIs was associated with prevalent pre-heart failure overall. In food-group models adjusted for the oPDI, vegetables were associated with lower odds (OR: 0.75; 95% CI: 0.58, 0.97) and animal fats with higher odds (OR: 2.41; 95% CI: 1.14, 5.09). Heritage modified the association only for the uPDI (P for = 0.017); among participants of Puerto Rican heritage, each 5-point increase was associated with higher odds (OR: 2.63; 95% CI: 1.48, 4.68).

PDIs were not associated with prevalent pre-heart failure overall among Hispanic/Latino adults, although the unhealthy index was positively associated among participants of Puerto Rican heritage. Vegetable and animal-fat associations were inverse and positive, respectively. Because the design was cross-sectional, these associations are descriptive and require confirmation in longitudinal studies.