New Study Reveals an Inverse Association between Nut Consumption and Cardiovascular Diseases
In this press release, the International Nut and Dried Fruit Council shared the results of a recent study.
(Photo from the International Nut & Dried Fruit Council)
A healthy diet is one component of the type of lifestyle that should be promoted to deal with this global health concern. Several healthy dietary patterns, such as the Mediterranean diet and a vegetarian diet have nuts as a key food component. Given their interesting nutritional profile, the Diabetes and Nutrition Study Group (DNSG) of the EASD (European Association for the Study of Diabetes) commissioned a systematic review and meta-analysis of prospective cohort studies to summarize the evidence of the association between nut consumption and the incidence of, and mortality from, certain CVD outcomes.2
A systematic search, limited to human studies, was conducted in the PubMed and Cochrane databases. In total, 19 prospective studies were included in this systematic review and meta-analysis.
A 13% reduction in the risk of CVD incidence was observed up to a consumption of 10 g/day, compared to no consumption. For CVD mortality and CHD mortality, a 29% and 32% lower risk was observed, respectively, at approximately 15-20 g/day. Similarly, for stroke mortality, a 16% reduction in the risk was observed up to a consumption of 5 g/day.
In conclusion, a beneficial role of total nut consumption was observed in reducing the incidence of, and mortality from, different CVD outcomes.
The INC is the international umbrella organization for the nut and dried fruit industry. Its members include more than 800 nut and dried fruit sector companies from over 80 countries. INC membership represents over 85% of the world’s commercial “farm gate” value of trade in nuts and dried fruit. INC’s mission is to stimulate and facilitate sustainable growth in the global nut and dried fruit industry. It is the leading international organization on health, nutrition, statistics, food safety, and international standards and regulations regarding nuts and dried fruit. Press contact email communications@nutfruit.org and telephone +34 977-331-416.
Footnotes
1. World Health Organization. WHO Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs). 2017.
2. Becerra-Tomás, N., Paz-Graniel, I., Kendall, C.W.C., Kahleova, H., Rahelić, D., Sievenpiper, J.L., SalasSalvadó, J. (2019). Nut consumption and incidence of cardiovascular diseases and cardiovascular disease mortality: a meta-analysis of prospective cohort studies. Nutrition Reviews, doi: 10.1093/nutrit/nuz042.
