This study focused on developing a healthy diet score based on the Prospective Urban Rural Epidemiology (PURE) cohort study, which includes participants from 21 countries across five continents. The goal is to assess the associations between the healthy diet score and cardiovascular events in diverse populations and compare its performance with other popular diet scores. Preliminary findings indicate significant associations between the healthy diet score, major cardiovascular events, and mortality. The study aims to provide valuable insights into the relationship between diet and cardiovascular health globally, contributing to the development of more effective nutrition guidelines for disease prevention and management.
Unhealthy diets have emerged as a leading cause of cardiovascular disease (CVD) and premature death worldwide. However, current nutrition recommendations primarily rely on studies conducted in North America, Europe, and East Asia, potentially overlooking other regions’ diverse dietary patterns and health outcomes. Previous diet pattern scores, such as the DASH, Mediterranean, and Healthy Eating Index (HEI), have been evaluated in Western countries and combine beneficial and harmful food components. Furthermore, recent evidence challenges traditional assumptions about the health effects of specific dietary factors. It remains unknown whether existing diet scores are applicable globally or can account for variations in dietary patterns. This study aims to address these gaps by developing a healthy diet score based on the Prospective Urban Rural Epidemiology (PURE) cohort study, examining its associations with cardiovascular events in diverse populations, and comparing its performance with other popular diet scores.
Methods:
The study encompasses a large-scale epidemiological cohort, the PURE Study, which includes 166,762 individuals aged 35-70 from 21 countries across five continents. Dietary information was collected using validated food frequency questionnaires, and participants were followed up for cardiovascular events. The associations between the healthy diet score and outcomes were assessed using Cox frailty models, adjusting for relevant confounders. The study also replicated the findings in three additional prospective studies and two case-control studies, collectively involving patients from 80 countries across all inhabited continents.
Results:
Preliminary analyses of the PURE cohort revealed significant associations between the healthy diet score and major cardiovascular events and mortality. The diet score comprises six food categories: fruit, vegetables, legumes, nuts, fish, and dairy, with higher scores indicating a healthier diet. Further analyses examined the dietary profiles of individuals with the lowest and highest diet scores, highlighting substantial differences in food consumption between the least and most healthy diets.
Conclusion:
This comprehensive study aims to provide valuable insights into the associations between a healthy diet score and cardiovascular events across diverse populations. By incorporating data from various regions and considering a broader range of dietary factors, this research has the potential to enhance our understanding of the relationship between diet and cardiovascular health globally. The findings can inform future nutrition guidelines and promote healthier dietary patterns for disease prevention and management.
