Whole grains prevent hypertension

By David Liu

Sunday July 18, 2009 (foodconsumer.org) -- High intake of whole grains and bran cuts incidence of hypertension in men, a Harvard School public Health study suggests.

The so-called Health Professionals Follow-Up Study reported online in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition found increased intake of whole grains were associated with a 19 percent reduced incidence of hypertension.

For the study, Alan Flint analyzed data from 31,684 male health professionals aged 40 to 75 who were not diagnosed with hypertension, cancer, stroke, or heart disease at the beginning of the study.  

During the 18-year follow-up, 9,227 cases of incident hypertension were recorded.

In addition to the association between increased intake of whole grains and reduced risk of hypertension, Flint also found that highest intakes of bran were also associated with a 15 percent reduced risk of hypertension in men compared to lowest intakes.

Hypertension, which affects about 1 in 3 adults in the United States, is a serious condition that can lead to coronary heart disease, heart failure, stroke, kidney failure, and other health problems.