Effects of High Fruit Intake on Systematic Blood Pressure in African Americans

<p>This randomized dietary intervention trial examined the effects of a high fruit diet on systemic BP in African-Americans. Thirty-eight free-living subjects with systolic BPs between 130-159 mm Hg and diastolic BPs between 85-99 mm Hg, were enrolled for a six week period. The cases were given daily supplements of potassium rich foods: bananas, orange juice and raisins, while no dietary advice or food was given to the controls.</p> <p>After six weeks, the means systolic BP was 5.79 mm Hg ( p=.009) lower in the cases than the controls. The mean diastolic BP at week six was 3.76 mm Hg (p=.047) lower in the cases than the controls. Analysis of the study participants who had mild hypertension, revealed a mean reduction in systolic and diastolic blood pressure after six weeks of 12.6 mm Hg (p=.131) and 6.53 mm Hg (p=.014) respectively in the cases when compared to the controls. The systolic BP drop for the cases was significant at 14.42 mm Hg (p=.02) after three weeks. High levels of fruit intake (6 to 8 servings/day) was correlated with a significant (P<.05) mean drop in blood pressure (6 to 8.19 mm Hg) in the cases when compared to the controls who consumed one or fewer servings of fruit per day.</p> <p>The results of this study suggest that a diet high in potassium rich fruits such as bananas, orange juice and raisins is an effective approach to lowering BP in individuals with mild hypertension.</p>

Name thesis:degree_name

Doctor of Public Health (DrPH)

Level thesis:degree_level

Dissertation

Year

2000

Author dc:creator

• Gibbons, Leonard L.

Contributors dc:contributor

• Glen Blix
• Susanne Montgomery
• Warren Peters

• Dietetics and Clinical Nutrition
• Preventive Medicine
• Public Health Education and Promotion
• Blood Pressure -- African Americans -- United States; Vegetables; Nutrition; Hypertension -- diet therapy; Fruit.

Statement dc:rights

• This title appears here courtesy of the author, who has granted Loma Linda University a limited, non-exclusive right to make this publication available to the public. The author retains all other copyrights.

Language dc:language

English

Repository record dc:identifier

https://scholarsrepository.llu.edu/etd/1032

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:scholarsrepository.llu.edu:etd-2087