A recent study from Tufts University found that middle- to older-aged adults who consumed at least three servings of whole grains daily had smaller increases in waist size, blood pressure, and blood sugar levels compared to those who ate fewer whole grains.
The researchers examined the impact of whole- and refined-grain intake on five risk factors for heart disease: waist size, blood pressure, blood sugar, triglycerides, and HDL (“good”) cholesterol.
The study utilized data from the Framingham Heart Study Offspring Cohort, which began in the 1970s to assess long-term heart disease risk factors.
The researchers focused on health outcomes related to whole- and refined-grain consumption over a median of 18 years. The study included 3,100 mostly white participants who were, on average, in their mid-50s at the start of data collection.
The participants were divided into four categories based on their reported whole grain intake, ranging from less than half a serving per day to three or more servings per day.
According to the Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2020-2025, the recommended amount of whole grains is three or more servings daily. A serving is defined as one slice of whole-grain bread, half a cup of rolled oats cereal, or half a cup of brown rice.
The results showed that those with low whole grain intake experienced an average waist size increase of over one inch, compared to about half an inch for those with high whole grain intake.
Additionally, increases in blood sugar levels and systolic blood pressure were greater among low whole grain consumers than among high whole grain consumers.
The researchers also found that lower refined-grain intake was associated with a smaller increase in waist size and a greater decline in triglyceride levels over each four-year period.
These findings suggest that incorporating whole grains into a healthy diet provides benefits beyond weight management, such as better maintenance of blood sugar and blood pressure over time, which can help protect against heart disease.
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This study, highlighting the benefits of whole grain consumption for heart health, was published in the Journal of Nutrition, with Caleigh M. Sawicki as one of the authors.
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