Drink Milk for Heart Health: New England Journal of Medicine Study Reaffirms That Lowfat Dairy Foods, as Part of the DASH Diet, May Help Reduce Blood Pressure.

Business Editors/Health Writers

ROSEMONT, Ill.--(BW HealthWire)--Jan. 4, 2001

New government research published today in the New England Journal of Medicine reaffirms that lowfat dairy foods, as part of the DASH diet (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension) may provide heart-healthy benefits. This second DASH study called DASH-Sodium revealed that a diet, including at least three servings of lowfat dairy foods and 8 to 10 servings of fruits and vegetables, that is also low in fat and sodium, may help reduce the risk of high blood pressure as effectively as some medications.

High blood pressure affects 50 million Americans and is one of the leading causes of heart disease and stroke. This new study provides even more evidence that the DASH diet may be a powerful weapon in reducing the number of deaths from heart disease.

"We calculate that if the American population as a whole adopted the DASH diet, it would reduce deaths from cardiovascular disease by about 15 percent, and from stroke by about 27 percent," said co-author of the study, David W. Harsha, Ph.D., of the Pennington Biomedical Research Center at Louisiana State University, one of the five research centers involved in the study.

In the 14-week feeding study, 412 adults (aged 22 or older) were given one of two randomly assigned eating plans: a control diet (modeled after the typical American diet) or the DASH diet. Participants also consumed one of three different sodium levels including: a "higher" intake of 3,300 mg of sodium per day; an "intermediate" intake of 2,400 mg per day; and a "lower" intake of 1,500 mg per day. When compared to the typical American diet, the DASH diet lowered blood pressure, regardless of the sodium level.

While the DASH diet reduced blood pressure at all sodium levels, the strongest reduction was found in the DASH diet/low sodium group. This group reduced blood pressure by an average of 8.9 points (systolic) and 4.5 points (diastolic), compared to the typical American diet with the higher sodium intake.

The study participants included a broad range of adults, either with or without hypertension from a variety of demographic groups. Of the 412 participants, about 57 percent were women, and about 57 percent were African Americans.

"We found the DASH diet works across the board for adults with elevated blood pressure, but most significantly it works for minority populations, particularly African Americans who are at greater risk for high blood pressure," Harsha said. "So, adopting the DASH eating plan for that group would have a significant impact on their heart health."

Taking the Research to Heart

The American Heart Association (AHA) recently encouraged people to take note of the heart-healthy benefits of lowfat dairy foods, fruits and vegetables by incorporating the DASH eating plan in its dietary guidelines, which were published in Circulation: The Journal of the American Heart Association on October 31 (www.americanheart.org). The new AHA guidelines recommend 2 to 4 servings of lowfat dairy products such as milk, yogurt and cheese, as part of a heart-healthy diet.

Dining with DASH

"We know DASH is good for the heart, but it's also easy to follow and includes adding flavorful foods to your diet that most people already enjoy, such as lowfat milk, cheese, yogurt, and fruits and vegetables," said Marlene Most-Windhauser, Ph.D., R.D. and chief of the DASH-Sodium study's metabolic kitchen at the Pennington Biomedical Research Center.

"These foods are rich in calcium, potassium and magnesium, which have been found to help lower blood pressure."

Just one 8-ounce glass of milk provides 30 percent of the daily value of calcium, 11 percent of the daily value of potassium and 8 percent of the daily value of magnesium.

Most-Windhauser recommends the following tips to help "DASH" to a healthy heart:

1. Be Cool as a Cucumber. Bite-sized fruits and vegetables such

as apples, carrots, grapes, and broccoli can replace

sodium-heavy potato chips as a healthy mid-afternoon snack.

Lowfat yogurt can serve as a great dip.

2. Start Packing. Buying lunch every day can get expensive and it

can be difficult to find heart-friendly options in fast-food

chains. Bring your lunch with you: a prepackaged salad topped

with lowfat shredded cheese will help you make the grade.

3. Make Your List and Check it Twice. When writing your grocery

list, continue to follow the lowfat DASH eating plan. Stock up

on lowfat dairy foods, such as lowfat milk, cheese, yogurt and

a variety of fresh fruits and vegetables.

4. Skip the Soda. Ditch the nutrient void sodas and opt for

lowfat or fat free milk with dinner. Add chocolate or

strawberry syrup for added flavor.

For more information on the DASH eating plan, a free brochure is available called "Reduce Your Risk: The Diet/Blood Pressure Connection," which was reviewed by the American Heart Association. Visit www.whymilk.com to obtain a copy of the brochure. For more information on DASH or additional dairy nutrition research, visit the National Dairy Council Web site at www.nationaldairycouncil.org.

Editors Note: Fat free and 1/2% lowfat milk display the American Heart Association heart-check certification mark. This symbol indicates that these varieties meet American Heart Association food criteria for saturated fat and cholesterol for healthy people over age 2.

Interviews Available:

David W. Harsha, Ph.D., Pennington Biomedical Research Center, Louisiana State University Marlene Most-Windhauser, Ph.D., R.D., Pennington Biomedical Research Center, Louisiana State University

Ann Marie Krautheim, M.A., R.D., National Dairy Council

To schedule an interview with one of these experts e-mail [e-mail], or call 312-988-2494.

The National Dairy Council 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.

Source: Krauss R.M. et al: "AHA dietary guidelines, revision 2000: A statement for healthcare professionals from the nutrition committee of the American Heart Association." Circulation: Journal of the American Heart Association, 2000:102:2296-2311

Source: Sacks F.M. et al: "Effects on blood pressure of reducing dietary sodium and dietary approaches to stop hypertension (DASH) diet." New England Journal of Medicine, 2001: 344(1):3-11