Research
Macro partitioning
Overall dietary patterns (AHEI, DASH, AHA 2020, Biologic) are not associated with the risk of incident heart failure in older adults, although higher sodium intake is associated with an increased risk.
Focus less on strict adherence to specific 'healthy' diet patterns (like DASH or AHEI) for heart failure prevention, and more on physical activity, not smoking, and maintaining a healthy weight. However, be mindful of sodium intake, as high levels were linked to increased risk.
GoodRefutesHIGH confidence
No dietary pattern was associated with developing HF (p > 0.05)... sodium was associated with a 19% increased risk of incident HF in the highest versus lowest quintile of intake.
Why this rating
Large prospective cohort with long follow-up and rigorous HF adjudication.
Source
Contribution of Major Lifestyle Risk Factors for Incident Heart Failure in Older Adults
Liana C. Del Gobbo et al. · JACC Heart Failure · 2015
DOI 10.1016/j.jchf.2015.02.009
cohort · n=4490Cited 187×
Read the paper DOI resolved against Crossref · corpus check 2026-06-10
More from this paper
- In older adults, higher walking pace (>3 mph) and greater leisure-time physical activity (>845 kcal/week) are independently associated with a significantly lower risk of incident heart failure, whereas high-intensity exercise intensity and walking distance are not.Good
- Combining four or more healthy lifestyle factors (walking pace ≥2 mph, leisure activity ≥845 kcal/week, no current smoking, modest alcohol intake, and BMI <30 kg/m2) is associated with a 45% lower risk of incident heart failure compared to having zero or one such factor.Good
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