Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
Review
. 2016 Sep;106(9):1616-23.
doi: 10.2105/AJPH.2016.303316. Epub 2016 Jul 26.

Diet, Lifestyle, Biomarkers, Genetic Factors, and Risk of Cardiovascular Disease in the Nurses' Health Studies

Edward Yu  1 , Eric Rimm  1 , Lu Qi  1 , Kathryn Rexrode  1 , Christine M Albert  1 , Qi Sun  1 , Walter C Willett  1 , Frank B Hu  1 , JoAnn E Manson  1
Affiliations
Review

Diet, Lifestyle, Biomarkers, Genetic Factors, and Risk of Cardiovascular Disease in the Nurses' Health Studies

Edward Yu et al. Am J Public Health. 2016 Sep.

Abstract

Objectives: To review the contributions of the Nurses' Health Studies (NHSs) to the understanding of cardiovascular disease etiology in women.

Methods: We performed a narrative review of the publications of the NHS and NHS II between 1976 and 2016.

Results: Diets low in trans fat, saturated fat, refined carbohydrates, and sugar-sweetened beverages and rich in fruits and vegetables, whole grains, and sources of unsaturated fats are associated with reduced risk of cardiovascular disease. Healthy lifestyle choices include smoking avoidance, regular physical activity, maintaining a normal body mass index, and moderate alcohol consumption. Adherence to a combination of these healthy diet and lifestyle behaviors may prevent most vascular events. Studies also covered oral contraceptive use, postmenopausal hormone therapy, shift work, sleep duration, psychosocial factors, and various biomarkers and genetic factors. Findings, such as the association of trans fat with cardiovascular disease, have helped shaped medical guidelines and government policies.

Conclusions: The NHS has provided compelling evidence that the majority of vascular events may be prevented by avoiding smoking, participating in regular physical activity, maintaining normal body mass index, and eating a healthy diet.

PubMed Disclaimer

References

    1. Hoyert DL. 75 Years of Mortality in the United States, 1935–2010. Hyattsville, MD: National Center for Health Statistics; 2012. NCHS data brief no. 88.
    1. Kannel WB. Some lessons in cardiovascular epidemiology from Framingham. Am J Cardiol. 1976;37(2):269–282. - PubMed
    1. Keys A. The diet and the development of coronary heart disease. J Chronic Dis. 1956;4(4):364–380. - PubMed
    1. Willett W. Nutritional Epidemiology. New York, NY: Oxford University Press; 1998.
    1. Willett WC, Stampfer MJ, Manson JE et al. Intake of trans fatty acids and risk of coronary heart disease among women. Lancet. 1993;341(8845):581–585. - PubMed

LinkOut - more resources