DIETS RICH IN FRUITS REDUCE RISK OF LETHAL ANEURYSM

A large long-term Swedish study has found that eating lots of fruit might decrease your risk of developing a dangerous bulge in the wall of the body’s largest artery, the aorta.  This condition is known as an abdominal aortic aneurysm and can result in death if the bulging artery bursts.   

In this study, researchers analyzed dietary and lifestyle data from more than 80,000 people, age 46 to 84.  They tracked the individuals for 13 years.  During that time, nearly 1,100 of the participants had abdominal aortic aneurysms, including 222 whose aneurysms ruptured.

Those who ate the most fruit had the greatest reduction in aneurysm rates.  After controlling for other lifestyle factors known to impact vascular disease risk, researchers found that those who ate more than two servings of fruit a day (not counting juice) had a 25% lower risk of the condition and a 43% lower risk of rupture than those who ate less than one serving of fruit a day. 

This study adds to the consensus that diets rich in fruits and vegetables help to reduce risk for vascular diseases including high blood pressure and clogged arteries.  One reason that fruits promote vascular health is because they contain high levels of antioxidants which reduce inflammation in the body.  Most fruits are also rich in potassium and diets rich in potassium are also know to be good for blood pressure.   

What to do:  Regularly include a variety of fruits in your diet, at least 2 per day.  The American Heart Association recommends 4-5 servings of fruit a day.  Besides a plant rich diet other factors that reduce your risk for aortic aneurysms include not smoking, maintaining a healthy weight, and controlling blood pressure and cholesterol.  Aortic aneurysms often have no symptoms but can be easily detected with an abdominal ultrasound and treated when necessary.  Discuss with your provider whether you might need an abdominal aortic screen.

Adapted from articles available at:

http://newsroom.heart.org/news/eating-more-fruit-may-lower-your-risk-of-lethal-aneurysm

http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/news/fullstory_139874.html

Source:

Stackelberg O, Björck M, Larsson SC et al.  Fruit and vegetable consumption with risk of abdominal aortic aneurysm.  Circulation 2013; 128: 795-802.  Available at: http://circ.ahajournals.org/content/128/8/795