Dietary patterns and the odds of carotid atherosclerosis in women: the Framingham Nutrition Studies.
BACKGROUND
We prospectively examined the relationship between dietary patterns, assessed using cluster analysis and a food frequency questionnaire, and the presence of carotid artery stenosis, a subclinical marker of atherosclerotic disease.


METHODS
Analyses were conducted among 1,423 Framingham Study women without cardiovascular disease (CVD) at baseline (1984-1988). Carotid atherosclerosis (stenosis > or =25%) was measured by ultrasound 12 years later.


RESULTS
Baseline differences in risk factor profiles were notable across five dietary subgroups. Compared to the more desirable profiles of women with Heart Healthy eating patterns, women who had Light Eating, High Fat, or Empty Calorie diets had higher rates of dyslipidemia and smoking and lower levels of physical activity. At follow-up, the prevalence of carotid atherosclerosis ranged from 6.8% in the Heart Health group to 17.8% in the Empty Calorie group. Compared with Heart Health women, all other groups displayed higher age-adjusted odds for carotid stenosis. In multivariate analyses, those with Empty Calorie diets had more than twofold increased odds of carotid atherosclerosis compared to Heart Health women (OR 2.28, 95% CI [1.12, 4.62]; P < 0.05).


CONCLUSIONS
The association among unique dietary patterns, CVD risk factor profiles, and the presence of subclinical atherosclerosis identifies candidates and strategies for preventive behavioral interventions to promote the primary prevention of heart disease.
Millen
Barbara E
BE
Department of Social and Behavioral Sciences, Boston University School of Public Health, Room 263W, 715 Albany Street, Boston, MA 02118, USA. bmillen@bu.edu
Quatromoni
Paula A
PA
Nam
Byung-Ho
BH
O'Horo
Catherine E
CE
Polak
Joseph F
JF
D'Agostino
Ralph B
RB
D000368:Aged; D002340:Carotid Artery Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology*; D016000:Cluster Analysis; D004032:Diet; D015930:Diet Records; D002149:Energy Intake; D005247:Feeding Behavior; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008404:Massachusetts / Q000453:epidemiology; D008875:Middle Aged; D016017:Odds Ratio; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D016387:Women's Health