Refined grains consumption heightens coronary artery disease: study

Tehran: A new study inferred that overconsumption of refined grain could increase the risk of premature coronary artery disease (PCAD). The study by Isfahan University of Medical Sciences states that refined grains cause premature heart disease while whole grains reduce the same, IANS reported.

Mohammad Amin Khajavi Gaskarei, the author of the study, said, "A diet that includes consuming a high amount of unhealthy and refined grains can be considered similar to consuming a diet containing a lot of unhealthy sugars and oils."

The team behind the study subjected 2,099 people with PCAD from hospitals with catheterization labs in different cities and ethnicities throughout Iran who underwent coronary angiography.

It included 1,168 patients with normal coronary arteries in the control group and 1,369 patients with CAD with obstruction equal to or above 75 per cent in at least a single coronary artery.

The subjects were given a food frequency questionnaire, and their dietary behaviours, the association between whole grain and refined grain intake and the risk of PCAD in individuals without a prior diagnosis of heart disease, were evaluated.

The results of the experiment showed that after adjusting for confounders, a higher intake of refined grains was associated with an increased risk of PCAD, while whole grain intake was inversely related to a reduced risk of PCAD.

The study will be presented at the American College of Cardiology (ACC) Middle East 2022, Together with the 13th Emirates Cardiac Society Congress, taking place in Dubai, UAE, October 7-9, 2022