Eating blueberries every day improves heart health

According to the latest research conducted by University of East Anglia in collaboration with colleagues from Harvard and across the UK, eating a cup of blueberries a day reduces risk factors for cardiovascular disease.

The findings were published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition show that eating 150g of blueberries daily reduces the risk of cardiovascular disease by up to 15 per cent.

The research team from UEA's Department of Nutrition and Preventive Medicine, Norwich Medical School, say that blueberries and other berries should be included in dietary strategies to reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease particularly among at risk groups.

The team set out to see whether eating blueberries had any effect on Metabolic Syndrome . A condition, affecting 1/3 of westernised adults, which comprises at least three of the following risk factors: high blood pressure, high blood sugar, excess body fat around the waist, low levels of 'good cholesterol' and high levels of triglycerides.

"Having Metabolic syndrome significantly increases the risk of heart disease, stroke and diabetes and often statins and other medications are prescribed to help control this risk. "It's widely recognised that lifestyle changes, including making simple changes to food choices, can also help. Said by Lead researcher Prof Aedin Cassidy, from UEA's Norwich Medical School.

"Previous studies have indicated that people who regularly eat blueberries have a reduced risk of developing conditions including type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease. This may be because blueberries are high in naturally occurring compounds called anthocyanins, which are the flavonoids responsible for the red and blue colour in fruits.

"We wanted to find out whether eating blueberries could help people who have already been identified as being at risk of developing these sort of conditions."

The team investigated the effects of eating blueberries daily in 138 overweight and obese people, aged between 50 and 75, with Metabolic Syndrome. The six-month study was the longest trial of its kind.

They looked at the benefits of eating 150 gram portions (one cup) compared to 75 gram portions (half a cup). The participants consumed the blueberries in freeze-dried form and a placebo group was given a purple-coloured alternative made of artificial colours and flavourings.

Co-lead, Dr Peter Curtis, says: "We found that eating one cup of blueberries per day resulted in sustained improvements in vascular function and arterial stiffness making enough of a difference to reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease by between 12 and 15 per cent.

"The simple and attainable message is to consume one cup of blueberries daily to improve cardiovascular health.

"Unexpectedly, we found no benefit of a smaller 75 gram (half cup) daily intake of blueberries in this at-risk group. It is possible that higher daily intakes may be needed for heart health benefits in obese, at-risk populations, compared with the general population."

An important announcement on our upcoming conference 8^th Annual Congress and Medicare Expo on Primary Healthcare (Primary Healthcare 2019) scheduled on July 26 - 27,2019 in Melbourne, Australia. You can also present your latest research at the different topics such as Primary Care in Cardiology, Diabetics, Fitness and Obesity along with other distinguished doctors and physicians from all over the world.

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Eating healthily at work matters

Latest study from the American Journal of Preventive Medicine which was published by Elsevier, demonstrated that employees at a large urban hospital who purchased the least healthy food in its cafeteria were more likely to have an unhealthy diet outside of work, be overweight and/or obese, and have risk factors for diabetes and cardiovascular disease, compared to employees who made healthier purchases. These findings contribute to a better understanding of the relationship of eating behaviors at work with overall diet and health and can help to shape worksite wellness programs that both improve long-term health outcomes and reduce costs.

"Employer-sponsored programs to promote healthy eating could reach millions of Americans and help to curb obesity, a worsening epidemic that too often leads to diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and cancer," said by Lead Investigator Anne N. Thorndike, MD, MPH, Division of General Internal Medicine, Department of Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.

Most Americans spend about half their waking hours at work and consume food acquired at work. Nearly a third of all US workers are obese, which has an impact beyond the individual's health risks. Previous research has shown that obesity contributes to higher absenteeism, lower productivity, and higher healthcare expenses for employers. This study's findings can lead to more effective strategies to encourage employees to choose healthier foods and reduce their risks for chronic conditions.

"Workplace wellness programs have the potential to promote lifestyle changes among large populations of employees, yet to date there have been challenges to developing effective programs. We hope our findings will help to inform the development of accessible, scalable, and affordable interventions," noted Jessica L. McCurley, PhD, MPH, at the Department of Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.

Participants were 602 Massachusetts General Hospital employees who regularly used the hospital's cafeterias and were enrolled in a health promotion study in 2016? 2018. As part of the hospital's "Choose Well, Eat Well" program, foods and beverages in the hospital cafeterias have "traffic light" labels to indicate their healthfulness: green is healthy, yellow is less healthy, and red is unhealthy. Food displays have also been modified to put healthier choices in the direct line of sight, while unhealthy foods were made less accessible to reduce impulse purchases.

"Simplified labeling strategies provide an opportunity to educate employees without restricting their freedom of choice. In the future, using purchase data to provide personalized nutritional feedback via email or text messaging is another option to explore to encourage healthy eating," added Dr. Thorndike.

The study is a cross-sectional analysis of worksite food purchases from cash register data; food consumption reports from surveys; and cardio-metabolic test results, diagnoses, and medication information. Using cafeteria purchasing data, the investigators developed a Healthy Purchasing Score (HPS) to rate the dietary quality of employees' overall purchases. The investigators compared participants' HPS to the quality of their overall diet (using an online survey and tool developed by the National Cancer Institute), as well as to measures of obesity, diabetes, high blood pressure, and high cholesterol (data acquired through test results and self-reporting). The analysis showed that employees with the lowest HPS (least healthy purchases) had the lowest overall dietary quality and the highest risk for obesity, diabetes, and high blood pressure. Healthier purchases were associated with higher dietary quality and lower prevalence of obesity, hypertension, and prediabetes/diabetes...

With respect to above research article we would encourage researchers, professor, physicians to submit their unpublished article on the conference topic Primary Healthcare in Obesity and Primary Healthcare in Fitness and Wellness towards the conference “8^th Annual Congress and Medicare Expo on Primary Healthcare“ which is scheduled on July 26-27, 2019 in Melbourne, Australia.

For more info visit on conference visit our website: Primary Healthcare 2019