Nut Consumption and Cardiovascular Risk in Older Chinese: The Guangzhou Biobank Cohort Study

OBJECTIVES: In Western contexts nut consumption is associated with better health. We examined the associations of nut consumption with cardiovascular disease risk in the non-Western setting of Southern China. METHODS: In the Guangzhou Biobank Cohort Study we used multivariable linear regression to examine the associations of baseline nut (mainly peanuts) consumption (none (n = 6688), <3 portions/week (n = 2596) and ≥3 portions/week (n = 2444)) with follow-up assessment of Framingham cardiovascular disease score (excluding smoking) and its components in older Chinese (≥50 years) (follow-up 57.8%). RESULTS: Nut consumption was not associated with Framingham score (≥3 portions/week compared to none: 0.02 95% confidence interval (CI) -0.11 to 0.15), systolic blood pressure (-0.66 mmHg 95% CI -1.94, 0.62), diastolic blood pressure (-0.69 mmHg 95% CI -1.44, 0.07), HDL-cholesterol (-0.01 mmol/L 95% CI -0.02, 0.005), LDL-cholesterol (-0.01 mmol/L 95% CI -0.05, 0.02) or fasting glucose (0.04 mmol/L 95% CI -0.02, 0.09), adjusted for baseline values, energy intake, age, sex, phase of recruitment, socio-economic position, lifestyle and baseline health status. CONCLUSIONS: Observations concerning the benefits of nut consumption may be contextually specific, perhaps depending on the type of nut consumed.