Aims
To investigate the association of chocolate consumption with measured blood pressure (BP) and the incidence of
cardiovascular disease (CVD).
Methods and results
Dietary intake, including chocolate, and BP were assessed at baseline (1994–1998) in 19 357 participants (aged 35–65
years) free of myocardial infarction (MI) and stroke and not using antihypertensive medication of the Potsdam arm of
the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition. Incident cases of MI (n ¼ 166) and stroke
(n ¼ 136) were identified after a mean follow-up of 8 years. Mean systolic BP was 1.0 mmHg [95% confidence
interval (CI) 21.6 to 20.4 mmHg] and mean diastolic BP 0.9 mmHg (95% CI 21.3 to 20.5 mmHg) lower in the
top quartile compared with the bottom quartile of chocolate consumption. The relative risk of the combined
outcome of MI and stroke for top vs. bottom quartiles was 0.61 (95% CI 0.44–0.87; P linear trend ¼ 0.014). Baseline
BP explained 12% of this lower risk (95% CI 3–36%). The inverse association was stronger for stroke than for MI.
Conclusion
Chocolate consumption appears to lower CVD risk, in part through reducing BP. The inverse association may be
stronger for stroke than for MI. Further research is needed, in particular randomized trials.
European Heart Journal doi:10.1093/eurheartj/ehq068
http://www.oxfordjournals.org/our_journ ... ehq068.pdf
P.S. А Вы любите шоколад?
