Nutrients · 13 authors, 7 centres
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In a cross-sectional study of 10,000 adults, high adherence to the DASH diet was associated with increased odds for having a carotid plaque, while folate supplement intake was associated with higher gray-scale median (a measure of plaque stability) only in men.
This population-based cross-sectional study analyzed data from 10,000 participants (aged 45–74) of the Hamburg City Health Study to investigate associations of Mediterranean and DASH dietary patterns and supplement intake with carotid plaque presence and gray-scale median (GSM), a marker of plaque vulnerability. The study used multivariable logistic and linear regression models. Key findings include that high adherence to the DASH diet was associated with higher odds for plaque presence (OR=1.18, p=0.027) compared to intermediate adherence. In participants with plaques (n=2163), only folate intake was associated with higher GSM in men (+9.12, p=0.021). No significant associations were found for the Mediterranean diet or other supplements. Limitations include the cross-sectional design preventing causal inference, potential reporting bias from self-reported diet, and the observation that the study population was more health-conscious than the general population.
