JOEL J. PINS, MS, MPH DANIELA GELEVA, RD JOSEPH M. KEENAN, MD CHRISTINA FRAZEL PATRICK J. O’CONNOR, MD LINDA M. CHERNEY, MPH Minneapolis and Bloomington, Minnesota From the Department of Family Practice and Community Health, University of Minnesota Medical School, Minneapolis (J.J.P., D.G., J.M.K., C.F.), and HealthPartners Research Foundation, Bloomington, Minnesota (P.J.O., L.M.C.). This work was presented, in part, at the Experimental Biology Meetings, April 17–21, 1999, Washington, DC. Competing interest statement: Test cereals and financial support were provided by the Quaker Oats Company, Barrington, Illinois. Requests for reprints should be addressed to Joel J. Pins, MS, MPH, Department of Family Practice and Community Health, Mayo Mail Code 381, University of Minnesota Medical School, 420 Delaware St., SE, Minneapolis, MN 55455-0392. E-mail: jpins@famprac.umn.edu.
This 12-week whole-food intervention trial was not designed to test either the long-term efficacy of oat-based cereals or the likelihood of long-term adherence to the feeding regimen. Nonetheless, a whole-grain oat-based cereal intervention might be an effective way to manage mild (type I) hypertension. The reduction in BP medication that occurred in the oats group was independent of weight change and sodium chloride and alcohol intake, suggesting that soluble fiber–rich whole grains should be added to the current dietary recommendations for people with elevated BP. Moreover, it is possible that the consumption of a diet high in soluble fiber–rich whole grains may prevent or delay the initiation of hypertension drug therapy in at-risk or borderline hypertensive patients. Based on the results from this study, physicians may be justified in recommending to their hypertensive patients a dietary regimen that includes the daily consumption of whole-grain oats (equaling 6 g of soluble fiber) in conjunction with their usual therapy. Such an intervention may be expected to yield results within 4 weeks.
Conclusions
A diet containing soluble fiber-rich whole grains can significantly reduce antihypertensive medication need and improve BP control among treated hypertensives. Combined with the reductions in blood lipids and plasma glucose, the intake of soluble fiber–rich whole oat cereals appears to be an effective nutritional approach in the reduction of cardiovascular disease risk. Future trials will need to investigate the antihypertensive effects of oats in other populations (eg, different racial groups) and determine whether reductions in BP measurements can be sustained for the long term.
Acknowledgment
The research team recognizes Anne Marie Weber-Main, PhD, for her excellent and tireless editorial contributions to this project.
