Health
Most people with hypertension not following dietary advice
NEWS IN BRIEF — Posted March 3, 2008
Fewer patients with high blood pressure are adhering to the DASH -- Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension -- style of eating, according to a study in the Feb. 11 Archives of Internal Medicine.
Researchers analyzed data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey for 1988-1994 and 1999-2004. In the earlier period, 26.7% of those with hypertension ate a low-fat diet high in fruits, vegetables and dairy products, but only 19.4% of those in the later survey did so. Those who were more likely to do so tended to be older than 60, be Caucasian, be Mexican-American, have more than a high school education and be diabetic.
The authors suggest that societal trends have reduced the ability of messages about the DASH diet to translate to healthier eating.
"These findings highlight the need for additional public health and clinical science initiatives to translate an efficacious intervention into an effective tool to lower blood pressure and cardiovascular risk," the authors wrote.
Note: This item originally appeared at http://www.ama-assn.org/amednews/2008/03/03/hlbf0303.htm.
