Two widely followed diets could cut heart disease risk within eight weeks

Increasing fruit and vegetable intake may reduce estimated heart disease risk in as little as eight weeks, according to an analysis of a controlled diet study.

In the comparison, both a produce-focused eating pattern and the DASH diet outperformed a diet that mirrored typical American habits.

The results are important because blood pressure and cholesterol are major contributors to heart disease. Altering the overall structure of meals may affect both measures without depending on one supposedly protective food.

Researchers reviewed data from 459 adults who took part in the Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension, or DASH, trial. Participants were placed on one of three meal plans for eight weeks.

One group ate a control diet modeled on common American eating patterns. Another increased fruits and vegetables, while the DASH group also emphasized whole grains, lean protein, and low-fat dairy.

The researchers tracked blood pressure and cholesterol before and after the intervention. They then applied a standard cardiovascular risk calculator to estimate each participant’s chance of developing heart disease over the next ten years.

Relative to the control diet, both the fruit-and-vegetable plan and the DASH diet lowered estimated ten-year heart disease risk by about 10 percent. DASH did slightly better, largely because it reduced blood pressure more.

Beyond diet-based risk estimates, scientists are also studying an AI blood test that may help forecast future heart disease risk.

The DASH group also experienced a slight drop in HDL cholesterol, often referred to as good cholesterol. That change modestly reduced the overall gain in the calculated risk score, underscoring the value of looking at several markers when judging diets.

Importantly, the study did not track participants for ten years to see whether they actually had heart attacks. The benefit reported here was a change in predicted risk based on measurements taken over eight weeks.

The findings also do not mean that every participant responded in exactly the same way. People differ in starting blood pressure, cholesterol levels, food habits, and other factors that affect cardiovascular health.

Even so, the comparison provides useful evidence that overall eating patterns can matter more than individual ingredients. Both diets shared a strong focus on plant foods, even though they differed in other respects.

The results add to support for sustainable eating patterns that improve blood pressure and other risk markers. Longer follow-up would be needed to show how well these short-term changes translate into fewer cardiovascular events.

The comparison also highlights the difference between lowering a risk estimate and preventing disease. The first can be measured within weeks, while the second requires much longer studies that follow real events in participants.

If you are interested in this topic, please read articles about DASH diet is a heart-healthy way to lower blood pressure and improve health, and Top 10 heart-healthy foods you should incorporate into your diet.

For more information, please see articles about Fruits and vegetables can lower blood pressure and protect heart and kidneys, and Green Mediterranean diet may improve heart and metabolic health.