Beijing Daily Client | Reporter Wang Dan Correspondent Fu Donghong Feng Lin Yang Jia
Blood pressure can be effectively controlled through a healthy diet – a famous cardiovascular disease in my country The latest research by the team of Professor Wu Yangfeng from the Clinical Research Institute of Peking University, a disease prevention expert, found that after consuming the “Chinese Heart Healthy Diet” for 4 weeks, the systolic and diastolic blood pressure dropped significantly by an average of 10.0mmHg and 3.8mmHg. A few days ago, the study was featured by the American Heart Association and published in Circulation, its flagship journal and the top international journal in the field of cardiovascular disease research. The successful development of “Chinese Heart Healthy Diet” provides a plan and confidence for hypertensive patients to control their blood pressure through a healthy diet.
At present, cardiovascular disease accounts for 45% of all deaths in my country. Wu Yangfeng introduced that unhealthy diet is one of the main factors leading to the rapid increase in the burden of cardiovascular disease in my country. The National Nutrition Survey found that compared with 1982, my country’s per capita intake of cereals, roots, vegetables and fruits decreased by 34%, 80% and 15% respectively in 2012, while the per capita intake of meat, eggs and edible oil respectively decreased by 34%, 80% and 15% respectively. increased by 162%, 233% and 132%. Correspondingly, the burden of cardiovascular disease in my country has also increased rapidly.
Facing the harm of unhealthy diet to human body, European and American countries began to develop healthy diet as early as the 1990s. Among them, the DASH diet in the United States (also known as the “Deshu diet”) and the Mediterranean diet in Europe are the most popular. After rigorous randomized controlled trials, it has been proved that these two diets can help lower blood pressure, improve blood lipids, and benefit cardiovascular health. However, these dietary patterns from Western food culture do not conform to the traditional Chinese eating habits, and it is difficult to promote them.
“Chinese Heart Healthy Meal” is a healthy meal independently developed by the team of Professor Wu Yangfeng and in line with the characteristics of Chinese food culture. It is designed in accordance with the nutrient standard of “Chinese Healthy Meal”, so that the recipes of the main and non-staple food for breakfast, lunch and dinner for two consecutive weeks are not the same. Its clinical effect evaluation work was carried out in Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou and Chengdu, and 265 community members were enrolled by the four research centers of Peking University Clinical Research Institute, Shanghai East China Hospital Affiliated to Fudan University, Sun Yat-sen University School of Public Health, and Sichuan University School of Public Health. Hypertensive patients (between 130mmHg and 159mmHg, with or without antihypertensive medication) were included in the study.
All research subjects first went through a one-week lead-in period and ate ordinary meals that conformed to the local food culture. Subjects who successfully completed the lead-in period were formally included in the study and randomly assigned to the intervention group and the control group. The subjects in the intervention group received “heart-healthy meals” three meals a day, while those in the control group continued to receive the local ordinary meals during the lead-in period. During the 4-week trial period, subjects were not told which diet they were eating, and blood pressure was measured by independent staff who were unaware of the groupings. The researchers accurately recorded the food intake and remaining amount of each meal of the study subjects, as well as the consumption of food outside the scope of the study.
The main results of the study are as follows: 1. After 4 weeks of intervention, compared with the control group receiving the local regular diet, the systolic blood pressure of the intervention group receiving the “Chinese Heart Healthy Diet” decreased by an average of 10mmHg, and the average diastolic blood pressure was reduced by 10 mmHg. 3.8mmHg decreased; 2. There was no significant difference in the antihypertensive effect of “Chinese heart-healthy diet” among different cuisines; 3. The subjects’ preference for “Chinese heart-healthy diet” was 9.7 points (out of 10 points), which was comparable to the control group. There is no difference between the two groups; 4. In terms of cost, compared with the control group, the “Chinese Heart Healthy Diet” only increases by an average of 3.6 yuan per person per day, which is within the affordable range of the public.
Researcher Wang Yanfang, the researcher in charge of the research project and a nutrition expert, introduced that in order to achieve the goal of effective blood pressure reduction, compared with the ordinary dietary nutrients of Chinese urban population, the “Chinese Heart Healthy Diet” reduces sodium. half, from 6,000 mg per day to 3,000 mg, while reducing fat and increasing protein, carbohydrates, potassium and dietary fiber. In order to conform to Chinese catering culture, researchers developed recipes of 4 different versions of Shandong cuisine, Huaiyang cuisine, Cantonese cuisine, and Sichuan cuisine to meet the dietary preferences of local residents. In addition, in order to be delicious, inexpensive and suitable for promotion, people from the culinary industry and the catering industry are invited to participate in the development of dishes and carry out taste evaluations. At the same time, common ingredients and simple cooking methods are selected to ensure that ordinary residents can complete it at home. Preparation of healthy meals.
“The results of this study support the modern nutritional point of view that ‘food is good medicine’, and also reflect the ancient Chinese wisdom of ‘medicine and food are of the same origin’, providing a basis for hypertensive patients to control their blood pressure through a healthy diet. plan and confidence.” Wang Yanfang said.
Wu Yangfeng believes that “Chinese Heart Healthy Meal” not only provides Chinese people, but also overseas Chinese and international friends who like Chinese food with a delicious, inexpensive and healthy meal choice, and it is expected to become the next DASH meal. and the third healthiest meal in the world after the Mediterranean meal. “At present, we are negotiating with all parties to promote the transformation of this innovative achievement, so as to publish the specific recipe content as soon as possible to benefit more hypertensive patients.”
Photo courtesy: Visual China