Greater Variety of Dietary Protein May Lower Risk for HTN

THURSDAY, March 10, 2022 (HealthDay News) -- Consumption of protein at appropriate levels and from a variety of sources is associated with a reduced risk for new-onset hypertension, according to a study published online March 10 in Hypertension.

Chun Zhou, from Southern Medical University in Guangzhou, China, and colleagues examined associations of the variety and quantity of protein intake from eight major food sources with new-onset hypertension among 12,177 individuals. Dietary intake was measured, and the variety score of protein sources was defined as the number of protein sources consumed at the appropriate level.

The researchers identified U-shaped associations of percentages energy from total, unprocessed, or processed red meat-derived, whole grain-derived, and poultry-derived proteins with new-onset hypertension during a median follow-up of 6.1 years. A reverse J-shaped association was seen for fish-derived proteins; L-shaped associations were seen for egg-derived and legume-derived proteins; and a reverse L-shaped association was seen for refined grain-derived protein with new-onset hypertension. For each protein, a window of consumption (appropriate level) was identified for which a lower risk for hypertension was seen. Individuals with a higher variety score of protein sources had a significantly lower risk for new-onset hypertension (hazard ratio, 0.74 per score increment).

"These findings encourage the consumption of a balanced diet and emphasized the particularly important role of moderate quantity of proteins from diverse food sources for the primary prevention of hypertension," the authors write.

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