Plant-based diet to reduce the risk of heart failure

Heart failure occurs when the heart is not able to supply the required blood and oxygen to the main organs of the body and this condition has increased in the present generation due to diet changes and modern lifestyle. A new research in this field has proved that a diet rich in fruits, vegetables, and fish can reduce the risk of heart failure by 41% whereas a diet rich in food items like fats, fried foods, processed meat, and sugary drinks can increase the risk of the same.

A research conducted by a team of researchers under the guidance of Dr. Kyla Lara, a cardiology fellow at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, MN analyzed the associations between the major dietary patterns and the risk of heart failure among people without any known history of heart disease.

The study was published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology.

The data for the research was obtained from the Reasons for Geographic and Racial Differences in Stroke (REGARDS) study which included dietary patterns among 16,068 black and white people who were 45 years old, on average.

The study used a 150-item survey, including 107 items on food. The researchers grouped the foods into five dietary patterns which included “convenience” diets (consisting of meat-heavy dishes, pasta, pizza, and fast food) “plant-based” diets(including mainly of vegetables, fruit, beans, and fish), Southern” diets, (comprising a significant amount of fried foods, processed meat, eggs, added fats, and sugary drinks) and “alcohol/salads” diets (comprising of wine, liquor, beer, leafy greens and salad dressing).

Though further research is required for better results, but this can indeed be the base for such studies.