Dairy Takes Center Stage To Help Lower Blood Pressure.

ROSEMONT, Ill.--(BW HealthWire)--Aug. 2, 1999--

Two years after the publication of the landmark study, Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH), The Journal of The American Dietetic Association (JADA) is releasing - for the first time - a 100-page collection of in-depth reports about DASH, which shed more light on the eating plan's effectiveness and how it can be incorporated into everyday life. The DASH eating plan, which includes two to three servings of lowfat dairy foods and eight to 10 servings of fruits and vegetables, has been demonstrated to be a powerful weapon to help fight hypertension, a leading cause of heart disease that affects one in four adults and costs billions in health care dollars annually.

"Without a doubt, DASH is a forerunner in the diet and disease arena," says Dr. David A. McCarron, DASH expert, co-investigator of the original study and professor of medicine at Oregon Health Sciences University, Portland, Ore. "This collection of research papers takes a behind-the-scenes look at DASH and further reinforces food as a first line of defense to help reduce hypertension risk. As medical care costs continue to skyrocket, dietary plans will continue to emerge as lower cost ways of preventing and managing disease."

One of the 13 reports in the JADA hypertension supplement specifically instructs registered dietitians about how to counsel patients on adopting the DASH eating plan. Other reports address DASH study participants' "quality of life"; the rationale, design and methods of the study; dietary adherence of DASH participants; and a look at menu design and selection.

Putting the Plan into Practice

Choice and variety are cornerstones of the DASH eating plan, according to one study in the JADA hypertension supplement. These elements make the diet easily adaptable to a consumer's lifestyle -- providing registered dietitians an effective counseling approach.

"By devoting an entire supplement to DASH, The American Dietetic Association is taking a step in the right direction to encourage dietitians to counsel their patients about dietary approaches to reduce hypertension risk," says Jean Ragalie, R.D., vice president of dairy communications at the National Dairy Council(R), Rosemont, Ill. "Loaded with lowfat dairy foods, fruits and vegetables, DASH is a great-tasting way to help prevent disease and maintain overall good health.

"By emphasizing a variety of everyday foods, DASH focuses on what foods need to be added to the diet, not what needs to be given up," Ragalie adds. According to one of the reports in the supplement, these simple shifts can help people ease into the DASH eating plan:

--   Fielding Food Groups. No foods should be excluded from this diet,
     as long as the overall pattern of food groups and servings is
     consistent with the DASH eating plan.

--   Fruit Frenzy. Eat a variety of fruits - fresh, canned and frozen
     to help meet nutrient needs. Save money by purchasing fresh
     seasonal fruits.

--   Peel Deal. Eat the skins of fruits and vegetables to increase
     fiber and micronutrient intake.

--   Start Small. Gradually increase consumption of fruit, vegetables
     and whole grains to avoid gastrointestinal symptoms.

--   Milk It. Replace soft drinks at lunch and dinner with lowfat
     milk.

--   Substitute Snacks. Eat yogurt and fat free cheese for a snack.

The DASH eating plan is also budget-conscious. In fact, a shopping basket filled with foods from the DASH eating plan, priced at local markets in the Northeast, fell well within low-to-moderate cost meal plans for a family of four, according to one study in the supplement.

Digging into DASH

Although the DASH study primarily focused on blood pressure, study participants also experienced an improvement in their overall "quality of life," according to one research paper in the supplement. To measure quality of life, 83 DASH participants completed a pre-and post-test questionnaire based on nine concepts, including daily physical, social, emotional and mental health functions. Participants who consumed the diet rich in lowfat dairy foods, fruits and vegetables experienced the greatest quality of life improvements. Since hypertension is a major public health concern for the general population, the authors suggest further investigation on DASH eating plan recommendations. In some cases, the plan can be used as a replacement for traditional medicines, which can lead to negative effects on the quality of life due to potential side effects.

Did You Know?

Research published in the JADA supplement also investigated how participants were chosen for the study. Because high blood pressure is especially common among minority populations, particularly African-Americans, nearly two-thirds of participants were minorities. Separate analyses of the study indicated the DASH eating plan, rich in lowfat dairy foods, fruits and vegetables, was twice as effective in lowering blood pressure in African-Americans than in Caucasians.

The DASH Diet Delivers

High blood pressure, which afflicts more than 50 million Americans, can lead to heart disease, stroke or kidney failure if left unchecked. Its cause is often unknown. However, it can be detected in its early stages and is usually controllable through diet or medication. An extensive study backed by the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute shows that in some people with mild hypertension, the DASH eating plan lowered blood pressure as much as some medications.

Following the DASH eating plan of consuming lowfat dairy foods, fruits and vegetables helps ensure adequate calcium intake, a nutrient most likely to be lacking in the American diet. Calcium is part of a trio of minerals, which also includes potassium and magnesium, found in milk that may play an important role in maintaing normal blood pressure.

For more information on the DASH eating plan and ways to combat high blood pressure, call 1-800-WHY-MILK for a free copy of the "Reduce Your Risk" brochure and "5 Days of DASH" menu plans.

The National Dairy Council(R) was founded in 1915 and conducts nutrition education and nutrition research programs through national, state and regional Dairy Council organizations on behalf of America's dairy farmers.

EDITOR'S NOTE: To get b-roll, a fact sheet or timeline on DASH, or to schedule an interview with a health and nutrition expert regarding DASH, call 312/988-2494. You can also send an e-mail to [e-mail].

Check out nationaldairycouncil.org for more research about DASH and dairy's role in reducing hypertension risk.

The Journal of The American Dietetic Association: A Supplement, The Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH Trial), 99:1999.