Summaries of Must-Read Clinical Literature, Guidelines, and FDA Actions
Dietary Patterns & Long-Term Survival
Am J Med; 2018 Jan; Shah, Leonard, et al
Among a middle-aged, generally healthy study population of primary care patients, the Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) dietary pattern was associated with significantly lower all-cause mortality over ∼2 decades of follow-up, a recent study found. The observational cohort study included 11,376 men and women (mean baseline age 47 years) with no history of myocardial infarction or stroke who completed a baseline dietary assessment between 1987 and 1999 and who were observed for an average of 18 years. The association of the DASH dietary pattern, Mediterranean dietary pattern, and individual dietary components was assessed with mortality. The primary outcome was all-cause mortality; secondary outcome was cardiovascular (CV) mortality. Among the findings:
- Each quintile increase in the DASH diet score was associated with a 6% lower adjusted risk for all-cause mortality.
- The Mediterranean diet was not independently associated with all-cause or CV mortality.
- Solid fat and added sugar intake were the most predictive of all-cause mortality.
- Individuals who consumed >34% of their daily calories as solid fats had the highest risk for all-cause mortality.
Shah NS, Leonard D, Finley CE, et al. Dietary patterns and long-term survival: A retrospective study of healthy primary care patients. Am J Med. 2017;131(1):48-55. doi:10.1016/j.amjmed.2017.08.010.
In this large cohort of healthy middle-aged Americans, what stands out is the relation of high intake of solid fat and sugar to increased mortality. Vegetables, fruit and nuts, and the DASH diet, were all associated with lower mortality. Again, as New Year resolution time is near, here is further evidence that a healthy lifestyle with a well thought out diet and moderate to high levels of exercise is our best bet to living long, healthy and productive lives. —Neil Skolnik, MD