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Dr. Longjian Liu, an associate professor at the School of Public Health, indicated in a new report that the intake of foods with a high glycemic index, such as high fat meats, cheeses and processed foods, are associated with unfavorable functioning of the left ventricle (LV) and this association might be mediated by metabolic dysfunction. |
The study also found that foods such as vegetables, soy, fruit, green and black tea, low-fat dairy deserts, seeds, nuts and fish had a less negative impact on metabolic dysfunction and the LV.
The study, "Dietary pattern, the metabolic syndrome, and left ventricular mass and systolic function: the Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis," was first published in the June 10, 2009 issue of American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.
"Little is known about the relations between dietary patterns, metabolic dysfunction, and left ventricular function," said Dr. Liu, who is also the lead author of the report. "We wanted to examine these associations, and explore the potential role of metabolic dysfunction in the association between diet and LV function."
A total of 4,601 participants between the ages of 45 and 84, and free of clinical cardio vascular disease, were studied. Dietary patterns that maximally explained the variation in metabolic syndrome components were derived by using reduced rank regression (RRR). LV mass, stroke volume, and LV ejection fraction were measured by magnetic resonance imaging. Associations between dietary pattern and LV indexes were analyzed cross-sectionally.
The results suggested that the RRR dietary pattern is significantly associated with unfavorable LV function, and this association might be mediated by metabolic dysfunction. Given the cross-sectional nature of the study, the researchers said that the results must be confirmed with the use of longitudinal data.
Dr. Liu's co-authors include Jennifer A. Nettleton, Alain G. Bertoni, David A. Bluemke, João A. Lima and Moyses Szklo. Click here to download entire article (PDF).