Sticking with a healthy diet and lifestyle can reduce the risks of high blood pressure and heart failure, according to the findings in the July 22 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association.
Heart failure is a chronic condition in which the heart cannot pump enough blood to supply the body with oxygen and nutrients.
In this study, Harvard researchers analyzed data from 20,900 men in the Physicians' Health Study I (1982-2008) to assess the link between lifestyle factors and the lifetime risk of heart failure. The subjects were followed for an average of 22 years.
Overall, the lifetime risk of heart failure, assessed at age 40 years, was about 14 percent.
Men who did not adhere to a healthy lifestyle had the highest lifetime risk of heart failure (21 percent) while those who consumed a healthy diet and remained physically active had the lowest risk (10 percent).
Maintaining a normal body weight, consumption of fruits, vegetables and breakfast cereals, and moderate alcohol intake were all dietary factors linked to lower risk of heart failure.
For more information on diet and heart failure, check out Leslie Beck's Heart Healthy Foods for Life.
All research on this web site is the property of Leslie Beck Nutrition Consulting Inc. and is protected by copyright. Keep in mind that research on these matters continues daily and is subject to change. The information presented is not intended as a substitute for medical treatment. It is intended to provide ongoing support of your healthy lifestyle practices.