Nutritional influence on risk of high blood pressure in Bangladesh: A population-based cross-sectional study

Yu Chen, Pam Factor-Litvak, Geoffrey R. Howe, Faruque Parvez, Habibul Ahsan

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

Abstract

Background: The nutritional determinants of hypertension in Bangladesh and other low-income countries are largely unknown. Objective: We assessed the associations of general hypertension with nutrient intakes and diet patterns in Bangladesh. Design: This was a cross-sectional analysis of 11 116 participants enrolled in the Health Effects of Arsenic Longitudinal Study Bangladesh. Dietary intakes were measured by use of a validated food-frequency questionnaire. Results: Three major dietary patterns were identified by using principal component analysis: 1) the "balanced" pattern, which was characterized by rice, some meat, small fish, fruit, and vegetables; the "animal protein" pattern, which was more heavily weighted on meat, milk, poultry, eggs, bread, large fish, and fruit; and 3) the "gourd and root vegetable" pattern, which consisted largely squashes and root and leafy vegetables. Adjusted prevalence odds ratios for general hypertension in increasing quintiles of balanced pattern scores were 1.00 (reference), 0.81 (95% CI: 0.79, 0.97), 0.82 (0.68, 0.97), 0.79 (0.66, 0.94), and 0.71 (0.59, 0.85) (P for trend 0.01). Prevalence odds ratios for general hypertension in increasing quintiles of animal protein pattern scores were 1.00 (reference), 1.30 (1.01, 1.52), 1.20 (1.01, 1.47), 1.22 (1.00, 1.44), and 1.21 (1.03, 1.49) (P for trend < 0.23). Markers of high socioeconomic status were positively associated with the animal protein pattern. Conclusion: Our findings suggest the importance of dietary patterns in general hypertension in a low-income population undergoing the early stage of the epidemiologic transition.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)1224-1232
Number of pages9
JournalAmerican Journal of Clinical Nutrition
Volume84
Issue number5
DOIs
StatePublished - Nov 1 2006

Keywords

  • Cross-sectional study
  • Diet patterns
  • High blood pressure
  • Hypertension
  • Nutritional epidemiology

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Medicine (miscellaneous)
  • Nutrition and Dietetics

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