Iranian Journal of

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Concept of dietary patterns is new in the filed of nutritional epidemiology. However, it has not been focused to the extent that foods or nutrients have been considered. Although, identifying the association between nutrients and foods intake with chronic diseases is valuable yet, recent evidences have shown that the clinical trials that have used nutrients are not too successful to indicate the effects of that nutrient on the disease risk. On the other hand, the studies used dietary patterns have shown the significant effects on disease risk. Therefore, using dietary patterns analysis is an efficient method to identify diet-disease relations. However, it should be kept in the mind that dietary patterns are different across gender, ethnics, cultures and regions. It is, therefore, recommended that investigators in different countries need to assess their own community dietary patterns and emphasize on these patterns when trying to reduce chronic disease risk. The current study has been conducted to review the studies that have assessed the association of dietary patterns and chronic disease risk.

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Background: Only limited data are available on the benefits of fruits and vegetable consumption on CVD risk factors. The aim of this study was to examine whether and to what extent intake of fruits and vegetables are inversely associated with cardiovascular (CVD) risk factors in adults.                                                           

Methods: In this population-based cross-sectional study a representative sample of 840 Tehranian adults (361 men and 479 women) aged 18-74 years were randomly selected in 1998. Usual dietary intake was assessed with the use of food frequency questionnaire. Portion sizes of consumed foods were converted from household measures to grams and analyzed by using Nutritionist III software designed for Iranian foods. Subjects were categorized based on category cut-points. : 0-1.9, 2-2.9, 3.0-3.9, and>=4 servings/d.

Results: In multivariate logistic regression after adjusting for confounders, dietary fruits and vegetable were found to be significantly and inversely associated with CVD risk factors. Adjusted odds ratio for high LDL concentrations were 1.00, 0.88, 0.81, 0.75(P for trend < 0.01) in first model which was adjusted for age, body mass index (BMI), energy intake, smoking status, dietary cholesterol, and prevalence of diabetes mellitus and coronary artery disease, a trend which was not appreciably altered by additional adjustment for education, physical activity, and saturated, polyunsaturated, total fat, Potassium and vitamin C intakes. This association was observed across categories of smoking status, physical activity, and tertiles of the Keys score.

Conclusion: Consumption of fruits and vegetables more than 4 servings a day is associated with lower concentrations of total cholesterol and LDL-C and with decrease in the risk of cardiovascular diseases.