A priori-defined dietary patterns and markers of cardiovascular disease risk in the Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis (MESA).
BACKGROUND
The level of detail regarding the dietary intake necessary to characterize associations between diet and cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk is uncertain.


OBJECTIVE
We evaluated a unique a priori-defined dietary pattern in relation to several traditional and novel CVD risk factors.


METHODS
At the baseline examination, diet (by food-frequency questionnaire), markers of inflammation, subclinical atherosclerosis, renal disease, vascular compliance, and other traditional risk factors were measured in 5089 men and women aged 45-84 y without clinical CVD or diabetes from the Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis (MESA). We defined a Comprehensive Healthy Dietary Pattern by summing weighted categorical ranks of 36 narrowly defined food groups (21 rated favorably with categorical ranks x +1.0 and 15 rated unfavorably with categorical ranks x -1.0). We also defined a Simplified Healthy Dietary Pattern composed of 3 favorable (whole grains, fruit, and seeds and nuts) and 3 unfavorable (added fats and oils, processed meats, and fried potatoes) food groups using similar scoring techniques and determined the difference between the comprehensive and simplified scores.


RESULTS
The Comprehensive Healthy Dietary Pattern was associated with lower urinary albumin:creatinine ratios, common carotid intima-media thickness, measures of adiposity, and inflammatory marker, triacylglycerol, and insulin concentrations. The magnitudes of most of the associations were similar between the 2 dietary patterns, but some differences were observed between scores. Dietary patterns were not associated with blood pressure, coronary artery calcification, internal carotid intima-media thickness, or the ankle brachial index.


CONCLUSIONS
Many food groups contribute to the characterization of relations with a variety of CVD risk markers, although only 6 food groups contribute much of the information in MESA.
Nettleton
Jennifer A
JA
Division of Epidemiology and Community Health, School of Public Health, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA. jennifer.a.nettleton@uth.tmc.edu
Schulze
Matthias B
MB
Jiang
Rui
R
Jenny
Nancy S
NS
Burke
Gregory L
GL
Jacobs
David R
DR
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D050197:Atherosclerosis / Q000097:blood / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000208:ethnology / Q000473:pathology; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D001916:Brachial Artery / Q000473:pathology; D002097:C-Reactive Protein / Q000378:metabolism; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000097:blood / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000208:ethnology / Q000473:pathology; D017536:Carotid Artery, Common / Q000473:pathology; D004032:Diet / Q000208:ethnology / Q000592:standards; D004034:Diet Surveys; D005006:Ethnicity; D005163:Factor Analysis, Statistical; D005247:Feeding Behavior / Q000208:ethnology; D005260:Female; D005340:Fibrinogen / Q000378:metabolism; D006710:Homocysteine / Q000097:blood; D006801:Humans; D007249:Inflammation / Q000097:blood / Q000453:epidemiology; D015850:Interleukin-6 / Q000097:blood; D016014:Linear Models; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015596:Nutrition Assessment; D012307:Risk Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D017539:Tunica Intima / Q000473:pathology; D014481:United States
D015415:Biomarkers; D015850:Interleukin-6; D006710:Homocysteine; D005340:Fibrinogen; D002097:C-Reactive Protein