Low-carbohydrate intake appears to predict future atrial fibrillation (AF) risk, independent of traditional AF risk factors and other dietary factors, a new ARIC analysis suggests.
The analysis used data from 13,385 participants in the ARIC study deemed to be free of AF at baseline who completed questionnaires on their daily intake of 66 different food items. The questionnaire was used along with the Harvard Nutrient Database to estimate daily carbohydrate intake and the proportion of daily calories derived from carbohydrates. Low-carbohydrate diets were associated with an increased risk for incident AF, regardless of the type of protein or fat used to replace the carbohydrate,
The findings were published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology (JACC) in advance of presentation at this week"s ACC 2019 Scientific Session (ACC.19).
