Heart rate, employment status, and prevalent ischaemic heart disease confound relation between cereal fibre intake and blood pressure

M. J. Lichtenstein, M. Burr, A. Fehily, J. W.G. Yarnell

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

7 Scopus citations

Abstract

Cross sectional data from a survey of 2512 men aged 45-49 years were used to examine the confounding effects of heart rate, employment, and ischaemic heart disease (IHD) on the relation between cereal fibre intake and blood pressure. Daily cereal fibre intake (g/day) was associated with systolic pressure (r = -0.053, p<0.01), diastolic pressure (r = -0.057, p<0.01), and heart rate (r = -0.071, p<0.01). The associations were strengthened in employment men and inapparent in unemployed men. Unemployed men had more IHD than employed men. Persons with any manifestation of IHD had significantly higher blood pressure and heart rates but ate less cereal fibre (7.0 v 7.9 g/day, p<0.001) than those without IHD, regardless of employment status. In employed men, after adjustment for age, body mass index, prevalent IHD, and heart rate, systolic pressure changed -0.186 mmHg (95% CI = -0.362, -0.009) and diastolic pressure changed -0.111 mmHg (95% CI = 0.228, 0.005) for each gram of cereal fibre eaten daily. The association between cereal fibre and blood pressure was inapparent in unemployed men. Heart rate, employment, and prevalent IHD confound the associated between cereal fibre intake and blood pressure. Future work concerning this relationship will have to account for the effects of these variables.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)330-333
Number of pages4
JournalJournal of Epidemiology and Community Health
Volume40
Issue number4
DOIs
StatePublished - 1986
Externally publishedYes

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Epidemiology
  • Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health

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