Hereditary predisposition to heart disease? Lean on the greens!
Vegetables and fruits reduce the "genetic" risk of heart diseaseRIA News
People who are genetically predisposed to cardiac diseases can significantly reduce their risk with a diet rich in fresh vegetables and fruits, Canadian scientists report in an article published in the journal PLoS Medicine (Do et al., The Effect of Chromosome 9p21 Variants on Cardiovascular Disease May Be Modified by Dietary Intake: Evidence from a Case/Control and a Prospective Study – VM).
The group of Jamie Engert from McGill University and Sonia Anand from McMaster University studied the relationship between hereditary predisposition to heart disease and lifestyle. In particular, the scientists investigated one of the strongest "markers" of genetic risk – the 9p21 site on the ninth chromosome.
"We know that certain changes in the 9p21 site increase the risk of heart disease. However, it turned out to be a surprise for us that a healthy diet can significantly weaken their influence," said Engert, whose words are quoted by the press service of one of the universities (Eating greens can change effect of genes – VM).
Scientists have processed data on 27 thousand people, comparing the factors of "genetic" risk and diet for them. It turned out that people with "risky" 9p21 sites who followed a healthy diet with lots of vegetables, fruits and berries had about the same chance of getting heart disease as those who did not have a hereditary predisposition to them.
"We have seen that the effect of a high-risk genotype can be compensated by a diet rich in fruits and vegetables. Thus, our results reinforce the general recommendations to consume more fruits and vegetables to stay healthy," Anand said.
According to the authors of the article, it is not yet clear exactly how these two factors interact – in order to identify a specific mechanism for reducing hereditary risk through nutrition, additional research will be required.
Portal "Eternal youth" http://vechnayamolodost.ru12.10.2011