HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS		QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced] Author: Keyword(s): Year:  Vol:  Page:

This Article Full Text Full Text (PDF) Services Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Alexander, H. Articles by Melby, C. L. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Alexander, H. Articles by Melby, C. L.

Risk Factors for Cardiovascular Disease and Diabetes in Two Groups of Hispanic Americans with Differing Dietary Habits

Department of Food Science and Human Nutrition, Colorado State University, Ft. Collins, Colorado

Address reprint requests to: Dr. Christopher L. Melby, Department of Food Science and Human Nutrition, 226 Gifford Building, Colorado State University, Ft. Collins, CO 80523

Objective: The purpose of this study was to determine if Hispanic Seventh-Day Adventists (SDAs), who typically eat a diet lower in fat, saturated fat and protein, and higher in complex carbohydrates and dietary fiber than the usual omnivorous diet, exhibit lower risk factors for cardiovascular disease (CVD) and Type 2 diabetes compared to Hispanic Catholic omnivores.

Methods: Anthropometric characteristics, dietary intake, blood pressure, serum lipids, glucose and insulin, as well as plasma ascorbic acid and vitamin E concentrations, were measured in two groups of Hispanic study participants residing in Denver, Colorado: 74 SDA study participants (x age: 42±1.5 y) and 45 Catholic participants (x age: 44±2.2 y).

Results: The SDAs reported lower dietary intakes of total fat, saturated fat and cholesterol and higher relative intakes of carbohydrate and dietary fiber compared to their Catholic counterparts. The SDAs exhibited significantly lower body mass index (BMI=27.2±0.6) and waist-to-hip ratios (WHR=0.84±0.01) compared to the Catholics (BMI=31.4±1.1; WHR=0.88±0.01). The SDAs, compared to the Catholics, had lower fasting insulin (11.4±0.6 vs. 18.9±3.1 µu/ml) and glucose concentrations (88.6±1.1 vs 104.1±5.4 mg/dl). The SDA Hispanics, compared to the Catholic Hispanics, exhibited significantly lower values for systolic blood pressure (SBP=110±2 vs 118±3 mm Hg), serum total cholesterol (STC=198±5 vs 214±6 mg/dl) and serum triglycerides (TG=152±12 vs 232±27) and higher serum concentrations of high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C=44.7±1.3 vs 39.1±1.4 mg/dl) and ascorbic acid (1.14±0.08 vs 0.87±0.07 mg/dl). Low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) and vitamin E concentrations were not significantly different between groups, but the SDAs exhibited lower ratios of STC/HDL-C and LDL-C/HDL-C.

Conclusion: Hispanic American SDAs, who eat a plant-based diet, exhibit a more favorable blood lipid profile, lower blood pressure and lower risk for Type 2 diabetes compared to Hispanic American Catholics, who do not eat a plant-based diet.

Key words: blood pressure, blood lipids, diet, heart disease

This article has been cited by other articles:

				J. D Furtado, H. Campos, L. J Appel, E. R Miller, N. Laranjo, V. J Carey, and F. M Sacks Effect of protein, unsaturated fat, and carbohydrate intakes on plasma apolipoprotein B and VLDL and LDL containing apolipoprotein C-III: results from the OmniHeart Trial Am. J. Clinical Nutrition, June 1, 2008; 87(6): 1623 - 1630. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				Z. Sternberg, F. E. Munschauer III, S. S. Carrow, and E. Sternberg Faith-placed cardiovascular health promotion: a framework for contextual and organizational factors underlying program success Health Educ. Res., October 1, 2007; 22(5): 619 - 629. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				S. McMahan, M. Cathorall, and D. R. Romero Cardiovascular Disease Risk Perception and Knowledge: A Comparison of Hispanic and White College Students in a Hispanic-Serving Institution Journal of Hispanic Higher Education, January 1, 2007; 6(1): 5 - 18. [Abstract] [PDF]

				L. M Steffen, C. H Kroenke, X. Yu, M. A Pereira, M. L Slattery, L. Van Horn, M. D Gross, and D. R Jacobs Jr Associations of plant food, dairy product, and meat intakes with 15-y incidence of elevated blood pressure in young black and white adults: the Coronary Artery Risk Development in Young Adults (CARDIA) Study Am. J. Clinical Nutrition, December 1, 2005; 82(6): 1169 - 1177. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				B. M. Davy, C. L. Melby, S. D. Beske, R. C. Ho, L. R. Davrath, and K. P. Davy Oat Consumption Does Not Affect Resting Casual and Ambulatory 24-h Arterial Blood Pressure in Men with High-Normal Blood Pressure to Stage I Hypertension J. Nutr., March 1, 2002; 132(3): 394 - 398. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				J. W. Anderson, T. J. Hanna, X. Peng, and R. J. Kryscio Whole Grain Foods and Heart Disease Risk J. Am. Coll. Nutr., June 1, 2000; 19(90003): 291S - 299. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]