Diet, Cognitive Ability May Play Role in Heart Disease
Nov. 20 --
THURSDAY, Nov. 19 (HealthDay News) -- Seniors who eat plenty of fruits and vegetables and who have good cognitive function are much less likely to die from heart disease than those who have poorer cognitive function and eat fewer fruits and vegetables, a new study has found.
Cognitive function refers to the ability to think, remember, plan and organize information.
Researchers at the Drexel University School of Public Health in Philadelphia analyzed diet and cognitive data on 4,879 people (3,101 women and 1,778 men), age 70 and older, who took part in the U.S. Longitudinal Study of Aging. The participants were followed for an average of seven years.
The analysis revealed that:
The study was to be presented Wednesday at the American Heart Association's annual meeting in Orlando, Fla.
More information
The U.S. National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute explains how to prevent and control heart disease risk factors.
SOURCE: American Heart Association, news release, Nov. 18, 2009