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DASH DIET

This report:

  1. Introduces and describes the DASH diet

  2. Outlines some of the key findings regarding the effectiveness of the DASH diet in enhancing various health markers. 

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INTRODUCTION

DASH is an acronym that stands for Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension. So the main aim of the diet is to reduce blood pressure. Like the Ornish diet, the DASH diet emphasises whole foods, especially vegetables. Unlike the Ornish diet, the fat content of a DASH diet is more in-line with the standard guidelines

 

DESCRIPTION

Grains: 6-8 servings a day

Serving = 1 slice bread, 1 oz dry vereal, 1/2 cup cooked rice, pasta or cereal

 

Vegetables: 4-5 servings a day

Serving = 1 cup of raw leafy vegetables

1/2 cup cut up raw or cooked vegetable

1/2 cup vegetable juice

 

Fruits: 4-5 servings a day

 

Fat-free or low-fat milk / milk products: 2-3 servings a day

 

Lean meats, poultry and fish: 6 or less servings a day

 

Nuts, seeds, and legumes: 4-5 servings a week

 

Fats and oils: 2-3 servings a day

 

Sweets and added sugars: 5 or less servings a week

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KEY RESEARCH FINDINGS

(See below for references)

 

Overview of findings

There are conflicting results regarding whether or not the DASH diet is actually capable of reducing blood pressure in people with high blood pressure, with some studies showing reductions (a) and some showing no reductions (b). 

 

The DASH diet seems to be able to be good for people with diabetes, showing enhanced insulin sensitivity (c) and reduced fasting glucose levels (d). 

This presents a problem for promoters of low carb diets for diabetes and insulin resistance treatment, as well as weight loss. The DASH is a moderate carbohydrate diet and there’s evidence that it can improve insulin sensitivity. Therefore insulin resistance (and its effects like weight gain) cannot be as simple as how much carbohydrates a person consumes.

 

A number of studies indicate that the DASH diet may improve heart health, showing:

e. Reduced total cholesterol

f. Reduced low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL)

g. Reduced risk of ischemic stroke

h. Reduced risk of stroke

This is not at all surprising in light of the similarities between the DASH diet, plant-based diets and Mediterranean diets, all of which show efficacy in improving heart health as well as relatively high fruit and vegetable intake and reliance on whole foods. 

 

Other potential health benefits may include

i. Reduced inflammation

j. Reduced oxidative stress

 

 

The DASH has been associated with:

a. Reduced blood pressure in hypertensive individuals

  • Appel L, Moore T, Obarzanek E, et al. (1997) A clinical trial of the effects of dietary patterns on blood pressure. N Engl J Med 336, 1117–1124. 

  • Lopes et al. DASH Diet Lowers Blood Pressure and Lipid-Induced Oxidative Stress in Obesity Hypertension. 2003;41:422-430 

  • Moore et al DASH (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension) Diet Is Effective Treatment for Stage 1 Isolated Systolic Hypertension Hypertension. 2001;38:155-158 

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b. No change in blood pressure

  • Asemi Z, Tabassi Z, Samimi M, et al. (2013) Favourable effects of the Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension diet on glucose tolerance and lipid profiles in gestational diabetes: a randomised clinical trial. Br J Nutr 109, 2024–2030. 

  • Nowson CA, Worsley A, Margerison C, et al. (2004) Blood pressure response to dietary modifications in free-living individuals. J Nutr 134, 2322 – 2329. 

  • Nowson CA, Worsley A, Margerison C, et al. (2005) Blood pressure change with weight loss is affected by diet type in men. Am J Clin Nutr 81, 983–989. 

  • Lopes et al. DASH Diet Lowers Blood Pressure and Lipid-Induced Oxidative Stress in Obesity Hypertension. 2003;41:422-430 

  • Appel LJ, Moore TJ, Obarzanek E, et al; DASH Collaborative Research Group. A clinical trial of the effects of dietary patterns on blood pressure. N Engl J Med. 1997;336(16):1117-1124. 

  • Sacks FM, Svetkey LP, Vollmer WM, et al; DASH-Sodium Collaborative Research Group. Effects on blood pressure of reduced dietary sodium and the Dietary Ap- proaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) diet. N Engl J Med. 2001;344(1):3-10. 

  • JohnJH,ZieblandS,YudkinP,RoeLS,NeilHA;OxfordFoodandVegetableStudy Group. Effects of fruit and vegetable consumption on plasma antioxidant con- centrations and blood pressure: a randomised controlled trial. Lancet. 2002; 359(9322):1969-1974. 

 

c. Enhanced insulin sensitivity

  • Shirani F, Salehi-Abargouei A & Azadbakht L (2013) Effects of Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) diet on some risk for developing type 2 diabetes: a systematic review and meta-analysis on controlled clinical trials. Nutrition 29, 939 – 947.

 

d. Reduced fasting glucose levels

  • Appel LJ, Champagne CM, Harsha DW, et al. (2003) Effects of comprehensive lifestyle modification on blood pressure control: main results of the PREMIER clinical trial. JAMA 289, 2083–2093. 

  • Lopes HF, Martin KL, Nashar K, et al. (2003) DASH diet lowers blood pressure and lipid-induced oxidative stress in obesity. Hypertension 41, 422–430.

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e. Reduced total cholesterol

  • Chen ST, Maruthur NM & Appel LJ (2010) The effect of diet- ary patterns on estimated coronary heart disease risk: results from the Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) trial. Circ Cardiovasc Qual Outcomes 3, 484 – 489. 

  • Obarzanek et al. Am J Clin Nutr 2001;74:80–9. Effects on blood lipids of a blood pressure–lowering diet: the Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) Trial 

  • Appel LJ, Champagne CM, Harsha DW, et al. (2003) Effects of comprehensive lifestyle modification on blood pressure control: main results of the PREMIER clinical trial. JAMA 289, 2083–2093. 

  • Lopes HF, Martin KL, Nashar K, et al. (2003) DASH diet lowers blood pressure and lipid-induced oxidative stress in obesity. Hypertension 41, 422–430. 

  • Blumenthal JA, Babyak MA, Sherwood A, et al. (2010) Effects of the dietary approaches to stop hypertension diet alone and in combination with exercise and caloric restriction on insulin sensitivity and lipids. Hypertension 55, 1199 – 1205.

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f. Reduced LDL cholesterol

  • Obarzanek et al. Am J Clin Nutr 2001;74:80–9. Effects on blood lipids of a blood pressure–lowering diet: the Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) Trial

 

g. Reduced risk of ischemic stroke

  • Larsson et al. 2016 Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension Diet and Incidence of Stroke. Stroke 47:986-990

 

h. Reduced risk of stroke

  • Fung TT, Chiuve SE, McCullough ML, Rexrode KM, Logroscino G, Hu FB. Adherence to a DASH-style diet and risk of coronary heart dis- ease and stroke in women. Arch Intern Med. 2008;168:713–720. doi: 10.1001/archinte.168.7.713. 

  • Struijk EA, May AM, Wezenbeek NL, Fransen HP, Soedamah-Muthu SS, Geelen A, et al. Adherence to dietary guidelines and cardiovascular disease risk in the EPIC-NL cohort. Int J Cardiol. 2014;176:354–359. doi: 10.1016/j.ijcard.2014.07.017. 

  • Fung et al Adherence to a DASH-Style Diet and Risk of Coronary Heart Disease and Stroke in Women ARCH INTERN MED/VOL 168 (NO. 7), APR 14, 2008 

 

i. Reduced inflammation

  • Azadbakht L, Surkan PJ, Esmaillzadeh A, et al. (2011) The Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension eating plan affects C-reactive protein, coagulation abnormalities, and hepatic function tests among type 2 diabetic patients. J Nutr 141, 1083 – 1088.

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j. Reduced oxidative stress

  • Asemi Z, Samimi M, Tabassi Z, et al. (2013) A randomized controlled clinical trial investigating the effect of DASH diet on insulin resistance, inflammation, and oxidative stress in gestational diabetes. Nutrition 29, 619 – 624. 

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