Key result
Highest adherence to the DASH diet was not significantly associated with incident heart failure (OR 0.73, 95% CI 0.37-1.43, p=0.20), although it was associated with a significantly lower risk of hypertension and diabetes.
Why the study?
Evidence supporting dietary patterns in heart failure management and correlating DASH adherence to heart failure risk is sparse.
Does high adherence to the DASH diet reduce the incidence of heart failure in Australian women?
Cohort (n=10,594)
Does high adherence to the DASH diet reduce the incidence of heart failure in Australian women?
Odds Ratio: 0.73 (95% CI 0.37–1.43)
p-value: p=0.20
In a healthy cohort of Australian women, high adherence to the DASH diet was associated with significantly reduced risks of developing hypertension and diabetes, but showed no statistically significant impact on incident heart failure, likely due to the low event rate.
Background and Objectives: There is limited evidence supporting the incorporation of dietary patterns into heart failure (HF) management. The Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) diet is linked to cardiovascular disease prevention, but evidence correlating DASH adherence to HF risk is sparse. This study is the first prospective investigation into the relationship between the DASH diet, incident HF and its associated risk factors—hypertension and diabetes mellitus (DM)—in Australian women. Materials and Methods: Survey data (2001–2022) from the Australian Longitudinal Study on Women’s Health (ALSWH) was analysed, where DASH diet scores were calculated from food frequency questionnaire (FFQ) responses and categorised into quintiles. Multivariable logistic regression was used to estimate odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for the association between DASH adherence and incident HF. Cox proportional hazards models were used to calculate hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% CIs for secondary endpoints, hypertension and DM, and dietary exposure was modelled as a time-varying covariate. Results: 10 594 women (mean age 52.5 ± 1.45 years) participated and, at 21-year follow-up, there were 136 (1.3%) cases of HF, 2182 (20.6%) and 994 (5.7%) cases of hypertension and DM, respectively. After adjustment for covariates (including age and socioeconomic factors), no association was found between the highest DASH quintile and incident HF [OR 0.73, 95% CI: 0.37–1.43; p = 0.20]. However, adjusted HRs for hypertension and DM—0.73 (95% CI: 0.63–0.84; p < 0.001) and 0.65 (95% CI: 0.53–0.81; p < 0.001), respectively—indicated significant associations. Conclusions: In Australian women, DASH diet adherence was associated with a significantly lower risk of hypertension and DM, both of which are HF risk factors. The finding of no direct statistically significant association between the DASH diet and incident HF might reflect the small incidence of HF in our cohort.
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Liao et al. (2026) conducted a cohort in Incident heart failure, hypertension, and diabetes mellitus risk (n=10,594). Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) diet adherence vs. Low DASH diet adherence was evaluated on Incident heart failure (OR 0.73, 95% CI 0.37-1.43, p=0.20). Highest adherence to the DASH diet was not significantly associated with incident heart failure (OR 0.73, 95% CI 0.37-1.43, p=0.20), although it was associated with a significantly lower risk of hypertension and diabetes.
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