Author: Ivan Red Jr.
Time for reading: ~1
minutes
Last Updated:
August 08, 2022
Consumption of fruits and vegetables can "exclude" a gene that increases the risk of heart disease.
Consumption of fresh fruits and raw vegetables can weaken the genetic effects associated with cardiovascular disease, a study shows.
The researchers analyzed the DNA of more than 27,000 people from Europe, South Asia, China, Latin America and others. Participants were also asked about their eating habits.
The study tracks the risk of heart disease due to changes in the genetic code, or single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), on chromosome 9p21 .
"We know that genetic variants of 9p21 increase the risk of cardiovascular problems in people who have these variants. It was a surprise to find that a healthy diet significantly weakens their effects, "said Dr. Jamie Engert of McGill University in Canada and one of the leading researchers.
People with high-risk mutations who eat healthily have a similar risk of cardiovascular disease as those with low-risk versions of genetic code variants.
The study shows a clear interaction between genes and nutrition in cardiovascular disease. Therefore, experts recommend following a diet rich in fruits and vegetables. In this way, the effect of the high-risk genotype can be mitigated, explains Prof. Dr. Sonia Anand of McMaster University in Canada.
The findings are published in the journal Public Library Science Medicine .