Nut consumption and decreased risk of sudden cardiac death in the Physicians’ Health Study
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Dietary nut intake has been associated with a reduced risk of coronary heart disease mortality; however, the mechanism is unclear. Since components of nuts may have antiarrhythmic properties, part of the benefit may be due to a reduction in sudden cardiac death. METHODS: We prospectively assessed whether increasing frequency of nut consumption, as ascertained by an abbreviated food frequency questionnaire at 12 months of follow-up, was associated with a lower risk of sudden cardiac death and other coronary heart disease end points among 21 454 male participants enrolled in the US Physicians' Health Study. Participants were followed up for an average of 17 years. RESULTS: Dietary nut intake was associated with a significantly reduced risk of sudden cardiac death after controlling for known cardiac risk factors and other dietary habits (P for trend,.01). Compared with men who rarely or never consumed nuts, those who consumed nuts 2 or more times per week had reduced risks of sudden cardiac death (relative risk, 0.53; 95% confidence interval, 0.30-0.92) and total coronary heart disease death (relative risk, 0.70; 95% confidence interval, 0.50-0.98). In contrast, nut intake was not associated with significantly reduced risks of nonsudden coronary heart disease death or nonfatal myocardial infarction. CONCLUSION: These prospective data in US male physicians suggest that the inverse association between nut consumption and total coronary heart disease death is primarily due to a reduction in the risk of sudden cardiac death.
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Results of prospective cohort studies on the association between nut consumption and risk of CAD have been inconsistent.
“However, results have been inconsistent (3)(4)(5)(6)(7)(8)(9).”
From Nut consumption in relation to cardiovascular disease risk and type 2 diabetes: a systematic review and meta-analysis of prospective studies (2014) · cites this paper as [4]
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- Authors
- Albert, C. M., Gaziano, J. M., Willett, W. C., & Manson, J. E.
- Affiliations
- Brigham and Women's Hospital (US)
- Corresponding author
- Albert, Christine M.
- Venue
- Archives of Internal Medicine
- Publisher
- American Medical Association (AMA)
- Published
- 2002-06-24
- Volume
- 162
- Issue
- 12
- Pages
- 1382
- ISSN
- 0003-9926 (ISSN-L)
- OpenAlex
- W2062740567
- Cited by
- 396
- References
- 28
- Citations by year
- 2026: 2 · 2025: 4 · 2024: 7 · 2023: 8 · 2022: 12 · 2021: 11 · 2020: 7 · 2019: 13 · 2018: 19 · 2017: 17 · 2016: 11 · 2015: 23 · 2014: 21 · 2013: 20 · 2012: 28
- FWCI
- 17.54
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Archives of Internal Medicine (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Funders
- National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (HL-34595, HL 26490, R01HL034595, K08HL003783, 1-K08-HL-03783)
- National Cancer Institute (R01CA040360, CA 34944, CA 40360)
- Topics
- Health Sciences › Nursing › Nutrition and Dietetics › Nuts composition and effects
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health › Nutritional Studies and Diet
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Cardiology and Cardiovascular Medicine › Cardiovascular Health and Risk Factors
- Keywords
- nut consumption, sudden cardiac death, coronary heart disease mortality, myocardial infarction, antiarrhythmic effect, dietary intake, male physicians, cardiovascular risk factors
- MeSH terms
- Adult, Aged, Aged, 80 and over, Coronary Disease, Feeding Behavior, Humans, Life Style, Male, Middle Aged, Nuts, Physicians, Prospective Studies, Surveys and Questionnaires, Risk, United States, Cohort Studies, Proportional Hazards Models, Death, Sudden, Cardiac
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