The relationship between the intake of fruits, vegetables, and dairy products with hypertension: findings from the STEPS study

Dietary risk factors for non-communicable diseases among Omani adults by latent class analysis and structural equation modelling

BACKGROUND

Risk factor surveillance is vital for public health interventions in non-communicable diseases (NCD) control due to a noticeable nutrition transition among the population affecting dietary patterns. The objective was to investigate the dietary risk factors and its associations based on a first-of-its-kind analysis employing both Latent Class Analysis (LCA) and Structural equation modelling (SEM) to explore the hidden heterogeneity and subgroups with shared dietary pattern and to demonstrate the complex interaction of dietary factors with other risk factors in the development of NCDs.

METHODS

A cross-sectional survey was used. Secondary analysis of the 2017 Oman NCD Risk Factors Survey data was performed to investigate three major dietary risk factors (fruits and vegetables intake, eating out, and the type of oil used in cooking) of Omanis using LCA and SEM.

RESULTS

Dietary risk factors are prevalent in Omanis with 55.8% reporting intake of less than five fruit and vegetable servings per day, 45.3% ate outside the home 1-3 times per week, and 87.3% used vegetable oil for cooking. LCA showed two distinct classes of Omani population with majority belonging to the class mainly eating out 1-3 times per week, eating less than the recommended servings of fruits and vegetables, vegetable oil users, educated, and married young adults. SEM showed the intricate interplay of dietary factors with 8 direct paths and several indirect paths with NCD indicators.

CONCLUSIONS

These findings may have important implications for targeting health promotion strategies among the high-risk group of Omanis identified in this analysis and inform decision makers for the reduction of NCDs.

The relationship between the intake of fruits, vegetables, and dairy products and dyslipidemia in STEPs study

OBJECTIVE

Due to the contradictory findings and the lack of a comprehensive study investigating the relationship between fruits, vegetables, and dairy intake with lipid profiles in Iran, the present study was conducted to further assess the potential role of fruits, vegetables, and dairy intake in influencing blood lipid levels.

RESULTS

The mean age and body mass index (BMI) of the participants were 46.67 ± 15.48 years and 26.89 ± 5.09 kg/m2, respectively. Regarding lipid profiles, the mean levels of triglycerides, total cholesterol (TC), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) were 127.36 ± 81.13, 163.61 ± 36.52, 96.95 ± 31.24, and 41.23 ± 11.32, respectively. In the adjusted model, the odds of abnormal triglyceride levels decreased with the consumption of one serving (odds ratio (OR)= 0.90; 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.83-0.98) and two servings of dairy products (OR = 0.87; 95% CI 0.78-0.97). No significant association was observed for the other variables.

Knowledge, attitudes, and practices on hypertension among the health science faculty and students at the University of Namibia: A cross-sectional study

Hypertension is a serious health concern, especially in developing countries, and assessing people's knowledge, attitudes, and practices (KAP) is important for its awareness and management. This cross-sectional study aimed to assess the KAP on hypertension among students and staff from the Health Sciences and Veterinary Medicine Faculty of the University of Namibia. A cross-sectional study design was conducted on adult participants who completed the KAP questionnaire while resting, and thereafter their blood pressure (BP) was measured. This study was conducted in September 2023. The sample comprised 99 participants (77 females and 22 males) aged 18 to 64 years. The majority (94%) of the participants had normal BP (≥140/90 mm Hg). The systolic BP of females (113.13 ± 13.70 mm Hg) was significantly lower (P = .011) than that of males (121.64 ± 13 mm Hg); however, there was no significant difference in diastolic BP between the 2 genders (73.58 ± 9.37 for females and 75.95 ± 10.55 for males; P = .311). Approximately 85% of the participants demonstrated a good understanding of the risk factors associated with hypertension. About 91% of the participants believed that hypertension is a serious health problem and were willing to change their daily routine to better manage their hypertension. Only approximately 39% of the participants regularly monitored their BP. Just above 50% of the participants regularly engaged in physical activities and made dietary modifications to maintain a healthy heart. It is important to host regular hypertension campaigns among health science personnel, as this would help refresh and improve their KAP in prevention and management.

Antihypertensive, Anti-Inflammatory, and Antiangiogenic In Silico Activity of Lactoferrin-Derived Peptides of Equine Milk Hydrolysate

BACKGROUND

Equine milk, including its whey proteins, is a source of nutrients and functional components in the human diet, and is especially beneficial for people with weakened immune systems, newborns, and athletes. Objectives Whey proteins in equine milk constitute approximately 20% of the total protein content and include various fractions such as albumin, globulin, and lactoferrin. Lactoferrin is one of the most extensively studied whey proteins in equine milk.

METHODS

HPLC-Mass analysis, enzymatic hydrolysis, modeling of 3D structure and biological activity in silico.

RESULTS

It has antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and immunomodulatory properties, making it a promising candidate for influencing the various aspects of cardiovascular disease pathogenesis. The products of Lactoferrin hydrolysis by trypsin were confirmed using HPLC. The half-lives of the hydrolysate in the bloodstream and in an intestine-like environment were predicted in silico. Various biological activities (antihypertensive, anti-inflammatory, and antiangiogenic) were also estimated in silico and compared with the corresponding activities of lactoferrin hydrolysate amino acid sequences from camel and dromedary milk.

CONCLUSIONS

The three-dimensional modeling of lactoferrin hydrolysate peptides was performed to support the development of computational models or simulations, as well as to investigate their potential antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, or immune-modulating functions in clinical or nutritional applications.

Dairy products and hypertension: Cross-sectional and prospective associations

BACKGROUND

The association between dairy intake and prevalence or incidence of hypertension remains controversial. We aimed to investigate the association between intake of different dairy products and prevalence and incidence of hypertension in a community-dwelling sample.

METHODS

Three cross-sectional studies (2009-12, 2014-17 and 2018-21) and one prospective study (2009-12 to 2018-21) were conducted in Lausanne, Switzerland. Dietary intake was assessed via a validated food frequency questionnaire. Dairy consumption was compared between participants with and without prevalent or incident hypertension.

RESULTS

For the cross-sectional analyses, data from 4437 (2009-12, 54.0% women, 57.7 ± 10.5 years), 2925 (2014-17, 53.4% women, 62.5 ± 10.0 years), and 2144 (2018-21; 53.3% women, 65.5 ± 9.6 years) participants were used. No consistent differences between participants with and without hypertension were found for all dairy products (total dairy, milk, yogurt, cheese, low-fat dairy, and full-fat dairy) although participants with hypertension tended to consume less cheese (51 ± 1 vs. 55 ± 1, p = 0.014, 52 ± 1 vs. 56 ± 1, p = 0.053, and 54 ± 1 vs. 56 ± 1 g/day for 2009-12, 2014-17 and 2018-21, respectively). For the prospective study, data from 2303 participants (60.8% women, 53.9 ± 9.0 years) were used. Irrespective of the dairy product considered, no association was found between quartiles of dairy consumption and development of hypertension. Similar findings were obtained after stratifying on dietary quality.

CONCLUSION

In this population-based study, no association was found between the consumption of different dairy products and the prevalence or incidence of hypertension.

The relationship between fermented and nonfermented dairy products consumption and hypertension among premature coronary artery disease patients: Iran premature coronary artery disease study

Dairy products may affect hypertension (HTN) risk. The aim of this study was to examine the association between fermented and nonfermented dairy foods and HTN in a sample of premature coronary artery disease (PCAD) subjects. This cross-sectional study was performed on 1854 PCAD patients. A 110-item food frequency questionnaire was used to assess dietary intakes. HTN was considered if systolic blood pressure was 140 mmHg and higher and/or diastolic blood pressure was 90 mmHg and higher. The odds ratio of HTN across the quartiles of different types of dairy products was evaluated by binary logistic regression. The mean (SD) of dairy products consumption was 339.8 (223.5) g/day, of which 285.4 g/day was fermented dairy products. In the crude model, participants in the fourth quartile of fermented dairy products had lesser risk of HTN compared to the bottom quartile (OR = 0.70, 95% CI: 0.52, 0.96; p for trend = .058). However, after considering the possible confounders, the significance disappeared. Subjects in the top quartile of high-fat fermented dairy products had 34% lower risk for HTN compared to the bottom quartile (95% CI: 0.49, 0.88; p for trend < .001). Adjustment for potential risk factors weakened the association but remained significant (OR = 0.73, 95% CI: 0.53, 1.01; p for trend = .001). Nonsignificant relation was detected between low-fat fermented, low-fat nonfermented, and high-fat nonfermented dairy products and HTN. Moderate consumption of high-fat fermented dairy products, in a population with low consumption of dairy foods, might relate to reduced likelihood of HTN.

Fruits and vegetable consumption, and its association with hypertension among women in Ghana: a cross-sectional study

OBJECTIVE

This study aimed to examine the association between fruit and vegetable consumption (FVC) and the risk of hypertension among women in Ghana.

DESIGN

Data from the 2014 Ghana Demographic and Health Survey were used. Bivariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were performed using Stata version 14. The study reports the adjusted OR (AOR) and CI.

SETTING

Ghana.

PARTICIPANTS

A total sample of 4168 women was used in the analysis.

RESULTS

Among women who met the WHO's recommended intake of FVC, 13·1 % had hypertension. The intake of the recommended servings of fruit and vegetables was not significantly associated with hypertension. However, the likelihood of being hypertensive was significantly associated with increasing age (AOR = 6·1; 95 % CI = 4·29, 8·73), being married (AOR = 1·7; 95 % CI = 1·14, 2·57) or formerly married (AOR = 2·3; 95 % CI = 1·44, 3·70), and being overweight (AOR = 1·6; 95 % CI = 1·24, 2·07) or obese (AOR = 2·4; 95 % CI = 1·82, 3·20).

CONCLUSION

The study concludes that there is no significant association between FVC and hypertension risk among women in Ghana. While this study did not find a significant association between FVC and hypertension risk among women in Ghana, it underscores the point that other multifaceted factors influence hypertension risk. As such, public health campaigns should emphasise a balanced and holistic approach to promoting cardiovascular health, including factors beyond FVC. The findings also highlight the need to target high-risk populations (i.e. older women, married and formerly married women, and overweight or obese women) with hypertension prevention education and related interventions.