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
. 2021 Mar;60(2):643-654.
doi: 10.1007/s00394-020-02270-9. Epub 2020 May 16.

Whole almond consumption is associated with better diet quality and cardiovascular disease risk factors in the UK adult population: National Diet and Nutrition Survey (NDNS) 2008-2017

Vita Dikariyanto  1 , Sarah E Berry  2 , Lucy Francis  2 , Leanne Smith  2 , Wendy L Hall  3
Affiliations

Whole almond consumption is associated with better diet quality and cardiovascular disease risk factors in the UK adult population: National Diet and Nutrition Survey (NDNS) 2008-2017

Vita Dikariyanto et al. Eur J Nutr. 2021 Mar.

Abstract

Purpose: This work aimed to estimate whole almond consumption in a nationally representative UK survey population and examine associations with diet quality and cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk.

Methods: Four-day food record data from the National Diet and Nutrition Survey (NDNS) 2008-2017 (n = 6802, age ≥ 19 year) were analyzed to investigate associations between whole almond consumption and diet quality, measured by the modified Mediterranean Diet Score (MDS) and modified Healthy Diet Score (HDS), and CVD risk markers, using survey-adjusted multivariable linear regression.

Results: Whole almond consumption was reported in 7.6% of the population. Median intake in whole almond consumers was 5.0 g/day (IQR 9.3). Consumers had higher diet quality scores relative to non-consumers; higher intakes of protein, total fat, monounsaturated, n-3 and n-6 polyunsaturated fats, fiber, folate, vitamin C, vitamin E, potassium, magnesium, phosphorus, and iron; and lower intakes of trans-fatty acids, total carbohydrate, sugar, and sodium. BMI and WC were lower in whole almond consumers compared to non-consumers: 25.5 kg/m2 (95% CI 24.9, 26.2) vs 26.3 kg/m2 (25.9, 26.7), and 88.0 cm (86.2, 89.8) vs 90.1 cm (89.1, 91.2), respectively. However, there were no dose-related fully adjusted significant associations between increasing almond intake (g per 1000 kcal energy intake) and lower CVD risk markers.

Conclusions: Almond intake is low in the UK population, but consumption was associated with better dietary quality and lower CVD risk factors. Habitual consumption of whole almonds should be encouraged as part of a healthy diet.

Keywords: Almonds; Cardiovascular disease; Cross-sectional analysis; Diet quality; Nutrients.

PubMed Disclaimer

Conflict of interest statement

The authors have received research funding and reimbursement of travel expenses to attend conferences from the Almond Board of California.

References

    1. EAT (2019) Summary Report of the EAT-Lancet Commission: Healthy Diets from Sustainable Food Systems - Food, Planet, Health. - PubMed
    1. UN About the Sustainable Development Goals. UN. https://www.un.org/sustainabledevelopment/sustainable-development-goals/. Accessed 22 Oct 2019
    1. UNFCCC (2015) The Paris Agreement. UNFCCC. https://unfccc.int/process-and-meetings/the-paris-agreement/the-paris-ag.... Accessed 22 Oct 2019
    1. WHO (2018) A healthy diet sustainably produced: information sheet. WHO. https://www.who.int/publications-detail/WHO-NMH-NHD-18.12. Accessed 22 Oct 2019
    1. International Nut and Dried Fruit Council (2019) Nuts & dried fruits: statistical Yearbook 2018/2019. International Nut and Dried Fruit Council. https://www.nutfruit.org/files/tech/1553521370_INC_Statistical_Yearbook_.... Accessed 22 Oct 2019

Substances