Nut consumption inversely associated with risk on AF and HF
A prospective study showed an inversed association between nut consumption and incidence of atrial fibrillation and heart failure in the Swedish population.
Nut consumption and incidence of seven cardiovascular diseasesLiterature - Larsson SC, Drca N, Bjorck M, et al. - Heart 2018;0:1–6
Introduction and methods
Meta-analyses of prospective studies have shown an inversed association between nut consumption and CV death, coronary heart disease and stroke [1]. However, the relation between nut consumption and incidence of seven specific CVD remains unknown.
This prospective study included 61,364 participants (aged 45-83 years) of the Cohort of Swedish Men and the Swedish Mammography Cohort who filled out the Food Frequency Questionnaire about their average nut consumption. The relation between nut consumption and the incidence of seven CVD was studied by combining this questionnaire with the Swedish National Patient and Death Registers.
Participants missing a personal identity number as well as those with prevalent CVD, cancer, an extreme energy intake and those who left the questionnaire unanswered were excluded.
The relation between nut consumption and seven CVD was investigated by analyzing data obtained between January 1998 and December 2014. The aim was to examine a linear association between average nut consumption and incidence of acute myocardial infarction, heart failure (HF), atrial fibrillation (AF), aortic valve stenosis, abdominal aortic aneurysm, ischemic stroke and intracerebral hemorrhage.
Main results
- Nut consumption was inversely associated with risk on myocardial infarction, HF, AF and abdominal aortic aneurysm in the age- and gender-adjusted analysis.
- Adjustments for known CVD risk factors resulted in a linear, dose-dependent association between nut consumption and AF, and a non-linear association between nut consumption and HF.
- Nut consumption of ≥3 times per week was associated with a reduced risk of 18% on AF (HR: 0.82, 95%CI: 0.68 – 0.99) compared to non-consumption (Ptrend=0.004).
- Nut consumption of ≥3 times per week was not associated with a decreased risk of HF (HR: 0.98, 95%CI: 0.76 – 1.27) compared to non-consumption (P=0.07).
- Nut consumption of 1-2 times per week was associated with a decreased risk of HF (HR: 0.80, 95%CI: 0.67 – 0.97), compared to non-consumption (Pnon-linear=0.003).
Conclusion
This prospective study showed an inversed association between nut consumption and the risk on AF HF. Therefore, nut consumption might reduce the risk on these CVD events.
References
1. Aune D, Keum N, Giovannucci E, et al. Nut consumption and risk of cardiovascular disease, total cancer, all-cause and cause-specific mortality: a systematic review and dose-response meta-analysis of prospective studies. BMC Med 2016;14:207.
2. Mayhew AJ, de Souza RJ, Meyre D, et al. A systematic review and meta-analysis of nut consumption and incident risk of CVD and all-cause mortality. Br J Nutr 2016;115:212–25.
3. Grosso G, Yang J, Marventano S, et al. Nut consumption on all-cause, cardiovascular, and cancer mortality risk: a systematic review and meta-analysis of epidemiologic studies. Am J Clin Nutr 2015;101:783–93.