High Glycemic Index Diets Linked to CVD and Death Risk

A study in a large, geographically diverse population confirmed that diets with a high glycemic index were associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD) and death. The study included 137,851 participants between the ages of 35 and 70 years living on five continents, with 8780 deaths and 8252 major CVD events during a median follow-up of 9.5 years. After performing extensive adjustments comparing the lowest and highest glycemic-index quintiles, a diet with a high glycemic index was associated with an increased risk of a major CVD event or death, both among participants with and without preexisting CVD (hazard ratio, 1.51 and 1.21, respectively). A high glycemic index was also associated with an increased risk of death from CVD. The results with respect to glycemic load were similar to the findings regarding the glycemic index among the participants with CVD at baseline, although the association was not significant among those without preexisting CVD. The findings are in line with previous studies and suggest that diets of lower glycemic index and load may lower risks of CVD and death. Source:  https://www.nejm.org/