A healthy microbiome is key to warding off CVD, says UK nutrition body

28 Feb 2019 --- Following a diet that encourages a healthy gut microbiome, avoiding central obesity and getting enough sleep are among the lifestyle factors that may help to protect against heart disease and stroke, according to a report from the British Nutrition Foundation (BNF) Task Force. The report, Cardiovascular Disease: Diet, Nutrition and Emerging Risk Factors: 2nd Edition, was presented yesterday at a conference for academics and health professionals. The Task Force is calling for further research, particularly regarding the link between specific gut bacteria and cardiovascular health.

“The concept that the gut microbiome might be linked to risk of cardiovascular disease is relatively new, but we know that gut bacteria can affect health in a variety of different ways and there is a lot of research emerging in this field,” a BNF spokesperson tells NutritionInsight. Further research is warranted to understand which types of gut bacteria are most important for health and the different ways in which they could influence the risk of cardiovascular disease, they note.

In the UK, the death rate from cardiovascular disease (CVD), which includes heart disease and stroke, has been falling. But it is still one of the leading causes of death. There are a number of treatments available, which have contributed to reducing mortality, but ill health associated with CVD morbidity remains high and could even be rising in older age groups.The fermentation of fiber by our gut bacteria may also influence our risk of heart disease.

Professor Keith Frayn Emeritus, Professor of Human Metabolism, University of Oxford and Chair of the Task Force, says: “Conventional lifestyle-related risk factors for cardiovascular disease include smoking, raised cholesterol and blood pressure, lack of physical activity, obesity and diabetes. However, these ‘classical’ risk factors cannot fully explain differences in cardiovascular disease risk and emerging evidence suggests that other novel risk factors may play an important role.”

The Task Force report explores some of the emerging and novel risk factors and how they can affect the risk of heart disease and stroke.

Gut health
Scientific research shows that eating whole grains and other fiber-rich foods are important for a healthy gut, but the Task Force report highlights that the fermentation of fiber by our gut bacteria may also influence our risk of heart disease.

Sara Stanner, Science Director at the BNF and editor of the Task Force report, says: “As a nation, we’re consuming well below the recommended fiber intake. Eating plenty of fruit and vegetables, choosing high-fiber or wholegrain varieties of starchy carbohydrates, and eating plenty of pulses, like beans, peas and lentils, will contribute to fiber intakes and can help to keep your gut healthy and decrease risk of heart disease.”

Indeed, a recent report published by The Lancet noted that higher intake levels of dietary fiber and whole grains are linked with a lower risk of non-communicable diseases, body weight and cholesterol levels. 

Central fat
Being overweight may increase the risk of heart disease and stroke, but where the body carries any excess fat is also important in determining the risk of heart disease and stroke. The Task Force report explains that people who have excess fat around the stomach are at increased risk because the cells secrete a number of substances that can contribute to risk.

“Regardless of height or BMI, people should try to lose weight if their waist measures more than 94cm (37ins) for men and 80cm (31.5ins) for women,” says Stanner.

Published last year, a Mayo Clinic study found that even for those with a healthy body mass index (BMI), a “fat belly” creates a two-fold higher long-term risk of heart problems. 

However, a recent American Heart Association (AHA) Heart and Stroke Statistics report found that although 48 percent of Americans suffer from some type of CVD and 90 percent of Americans understand that regulating body weight is beneficial to heart health; they do nothing to tackle weight issues actively. 

Minerals
There are links between sodium and high blood pressure risks, but other minerals such as calcium, magnesium and potassium may play a role in preventing high blood pressure, says the report. They could also have positive effects on other risk factors for heart disease and stroke.

“Eating a varied diet will help to ensure you get all the essential minerals you need; potassium is found in foods like bananas, potatoes and fish, magnesium in lentils and whole grains and calcium in dairy foods and some green leafy vegetables,” explains Stanner.

SleepStudies have linked stress with ill health, but the link between stress and increased risk of heart disease and stroke is growing.
Evidence in the report suggests that it is not just a lack of sleep, but also poor quality and interrupted sleep that may be linked to an increased risk of heart disease, stroke, Type 2 diabetes, obesity and hypertension.

“There is emerging evidence that inadequate sleep is linked to increased risk of cardiovascular disease. For general health, adults should aim for between seven and nine hours of sleep a night,” Stanner adds.

Workplace stress
Many scientific studies have linked stress with ill health, but the link between job-related stress and increased risk of heart disease and stroke is becoming more widely recognized. The report suggests that exposure to stress activates specific regions of the brain, leading to an increase in heart rate and blood pressure, which can affect blood vessel walls and damage the functioning of the blood vessel lining.

For those exposed to stress in the workplace, it may be a good idea to find relaxation techniques and actively work at managing stress levels, the researchers advise.

Other risk factors
Other significant risk factors identified by the Task Force report include birth weight (both high and low birth weights are associated with increased risk of heart disease in later life), excessive consumption of alcohol and sedentary behavior, even if interspersed with physical activity.

By Laxmi Haigh