RESUMO
BACKGROUND: Studies of immigrant populations are useful for analysis of the effects of environmental factors on cardiovascular disease. We have examined the association between dietary habit of fish intake and cardiovascular risk. METHODS: Population-based samples of 433 middle-aged Japanese men and women in Japan (Shimane (group JS) and Okinawa (group JO)) and 269 Japanese immigrants in Brazil (Sâo Paulo (group BS) and Campo Grande (group BC)), who had originally moved to Brazil mainly from Shimane and Okinawa, were recruited to the study. They underwent blood pressure measurement, 24-h urine collection, blood tests and electrocardiographic examination, and completed a dietary questionnaire. RESULTS: There was a significant gradient through the groups, from JS to JO, BS and BC with respect to the prevalence of obesity, hypertension, increased glycohaemoglobin concentrations and ST-T segment change on the electrocardiogram (prevalences for men and women combined: group JS 2.0%, group JO 3.8%, group BS 3.9% and group BC 9.0%; P < 0.025). The prevalence of hypercholesterolaemia was noted more frequently in groups BS and BC. Twenty-four-hour urinary taurine excretion in both sexes and n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (n-3 PUFA) in plasma phospholipids in men were significantly higher in groups JS and JO than in groups BS and BC. A striking negative gradient in the frequency of fish intake per week was found from group JS (men/women, 4.7/4.8) to groups JO (3.8/3.6), BS (1.9/1.6) and BC (0.5/0.5). CONCLUSIONS: This study suggests a possible association between fish intake and reduced cardiovascular risk, through the beneficial effects of taurine and n-3 PUFA and a habitual low intake of calories and fat.
Assuntos
Povo Asiático , Doenças Cardiovasculares/etnologia , Inquéritos sobre Dietas , Alimentos Marinhos , Análise de Variância , Animais , Brasil/epidemiologia , Doenças Cardiovasculares/sangue , Doenças Cardiovasculares/diagnóstico , Doenças Cardiovasculares/etiologia , Colesterol/sangue , Proteínas Alimentares/administração & dosagem , Emigração e Imigração , Feminino , Humanos , Hipertensão/complicações , Hipertensão/epidemiologia , Japão/epidemiologia , Japão/etnologia , Masculino , Carne , Pessoa de Meia-Idade , Obesidade/complicações , Obesidade/epidemiologia , Prevalência , Distribuição Aleatória , Fatores de Risco , Estudos de Amostragem , Distribuição por SexoRESUMO
The Cardiovascular Diseases and Alimentary Comparison (CARDIAC) Study (1) was designed to study the relationship of dietary factors to blood pressure (BP) and other major cardiovascular disease (CVD) in widely different populations of both industralized and developing countries. The primary aim of the research was to test specific hypotheses linking the intake of certain dietary constituents, e.g., sodium (Na), potassium (K), calcium (Ca), and protein, to BP (core study). The final aim was to contribute to the scientific information base required to guide the formulation of dietary goals for the primary prevention of CVD. The results of the preliminary analysis of data from Brazil in 57 inhabitants (22 men and 35 women) suggest a nonsignificant statistical correlation of Na intake estimated by urinary Na excretion and diastolic BP (DBP) and systolic BP (SBP) (p greater than 0.05), K intake estimated by urinary K excretion for DBP and SBP (p greater than 0.05), and taurine intake estimated by taurine urinary excretion for DBP and SBP (p greater than 0.05). A positive correlation was found between body mass index (BMI) and BP (p less than 0.01), for both DBP and SBP.
Assuntos
Doenças Cardiovasculares/epidemiologia , Dieta , Adulto , Idoso , Pressão Sanguínea , Peso Corporal , Brasil/epidemiologia , Doenças Cardiovasculares/fisiopatologia , Feminino , Humanos , Masculino , Pessoa de Meia-IdadeRESUMO
The effect of nonpharmacological measures--diet (restriction to salt), weight reduction, stress avoidance, stopping smoking, and exercise--are analyzed after being applied to 145 hypertensive individuals (average age 60.3 years) using antihypertensive drugs for 6 months without nonpharmacological therapy. The initial systolic arterial pressure was 177 mm Hg; at the end of 4 weeks of treatment, it was 151.3 mm Hg. The initial diastolic arterial pressure was 98.5 mm Hg; at the end of 4 weeks it was 89.8 mm Hg (p less than 0.001). The proposal for treating hypertension with nonpharmacological measures represents a challenge and opens a new horizon to scientific research.