Dietary patterns associated with obesity and hypertension in Australian adults

This Deakin University (Victoria, Australia) study aimed to identify dietary patterns associated with obesity and hypertension in adults from the Australian Health Survey (2011-13) data. They examined associations between dietary energy density (DED), fibre density and total sugar intake with obesity prevalence; and sodium to potassium ratio (N:K), saturated to polyunsaturated fat ratio (SAFA:PUFA) and fibre density with hypertension.

Obesity prevalence was inversely associated with low DED, high fibre and high sugar (natural sugars) diets and positively associated with low-fibre and high sugar (added sugars) diets. Hypertension prevalence was higher on low-fibre and high Na and SAFA diets.

Livingstone KM, McNaughton SA. Dietary patterns by reduced rank regression are associated with obesity and hypertension in Australian adults. Br J Nutr. 2017 Jan;117(2):248-259.