Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension diet retains effectiveness to reduce blood pressure when lean pork is substituted for chicken and fish as the predominant source of protein.

backgroundHypertension is a major, modifiable risk factor for cardiovascular and kidney disease and premature mortality that is improved by the DASH (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension) diet. The DASH diet emphasizes increased consumption of fruit and vegetables, whole grains, low-fat dairy, nuts, and poultry and fish and reduced intakes of fats, red meats (including pork), sodium, and added sugars.

objectiveWe sought to evaluate whether the consumption of lean pork compared with the consumption of chicken and fish as the predominant protein source in a DASH-style diet affected blood pressure (BP) control in men and women with elevated BP.

designIn a randomized crossover study, 13 women and 6 men [mean ± SEM age: 61 ± 2 y; BMI (in kg/m²): 31.2 ± 1.4] with elevated BP [systolic blood pressure (SBP)/diastolic blood pressure (DBP): 130 ± 2/85 ± 2 mm Hg] consumed a DASH-style diet for two 6-wk controlled dietary interventions (with a 4-wk diet washout between interventions) with either lean pork [DASH diet with pork (DASH-P)] or chicken and fish [DASH diet with chicken and fish (DASH-CF), the control diet] as the major protein source (55% of total protein intake). SBP and DBP were measured manually and with a 24-h BP monitoring system on 3 d before and 3 d at the end of each diet intervention.

resultsPreintervention manual BP (DASH-P: 130/84 ± 2/1 mm Hg; DASH-CF: 129/84 ± 2/1 mg Hg) and postintervention manual BP (DASH-P: 122/79 ± 2/1 mm Hg; DASH-CF: 123/78 ± 3/1) were not different between the DASH-P and DASH-CF. Consumption of these DASH-style diets for 6 wk reduced all measures of BP (P < 0.05) with no differences in responses between the DASH-CF and DASH-P.

conclusionThe results indicate that adults with elevated BP may effectively incorporate lean pork into a DASH-style diet for BP reduction.