VEGETARIAN DIETS AND HIGH BLOOD-PRESSURE - AN UPDATE

Evidence that vegetarian dietary patterns lower blood pressure comes f rom both population studies and randomized controlled trials in normot ensive and hypertensive subjects. The effect has been shown most clear ly in those who keep to a strict lacto-ovo vegetarian diet characteriz ed by a relatively low intake of saturated fat, a high P/S ratio, and a high intake of fruit, vegetables and other fibre-containing products . Randomized controlled dietary trials suggest the effects are indepen dent of dietary sodium, additive to that of calorie restriction, and n ot due to the absence of meat protein per se. Indeed recent population studies suggest an inverse relation between dietary protein and blood pressure. Dietary fats, fibre, potassium, magnesium and calcium do no t independently seem to account for the effects. A possible role of co mplex carbohydrate in conjunction with the other dietary factors has y et to be fully explored.