(Press-News.org) Contact information: Anne Doerr
anne_doerr@dfci.harvard.edu
617-632-4090
Dana-Farber Cancer Institute
Large study links nut consumption to reduced death rate
Research also shows people who eat nuts weigh less
BOSTON— In the largest study of its kind, people who ate a daily handful of nuts were 20 percent less likely to die from any cause over a 30-year period than were those who didn't consume nuts, say scientists from Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Brigham and Women's Hospital, and the Harvard School of Public Health.
Their report, published in the New England Journal of Medicine, contains further good news. The regular nut-eaters were found to be more slender than those who didn't eat nuts, a finding that should alleviate the widespread worry that eating a lot of nuts will lead to overweight.
The report also looked at the protective effect on specific causes of death.
"The most obvious benefit was a reduction of 29 percent in deaths from heart disease – the major killer of people in America," said Charles S. Fuchs, MD, MPH, director of the Gastrointestinal Cancer Center at Dana-Farber, who is the senior author of the report. "But we also saw a significant reduction – 11 percent – in the risk of dying from cancer," added Fuchs, who is also affiliated with the Channing Division of Network Medicine at Brigham and Women's.
Whether any specific type or types of nuts were crucial to the protective effect couldn't be determined. However, the reduction in mortality was similar both for peanuts and for "tree nuts" – walnuts, hazelnuts, almonds, Brazil nuts, cashews, macadamias, pecans, cashews, pistachios and pine nuts.
Several previous studies have found an association between increasing nut consumption and a lower risk of diseases such as heart disease, type 2 diabetes, colon cancer, gallstones, and diverticulitis. Higher nut consumption also has been linked to reductions in cholesterol levels, oxidative stress, inflammation, adiposity, and insulin resistance. Some small studies have linked increased nuts in the diet to lower total mortality in specific populations. But no previous research studies had looked in such detail at various levels of nut consumption and their effects on overall mortality in a large population that was followed for over 30 years.
For the new research, the scientists were able to tap databases from two well-known ongoing observational studies that collect data on diet and other lifestyle factors and various health outcomes. The Nurses' Health Study provided data on 76,464 women between 1980 and 2010, and the Health Professionals' Follow-up Study yielded data on 42,498 men from 1986 to 2010. Participants in the studies filled out detailed food questionnaires every two to four years. With each food questionnaire, participants were asked to estimate how often they consumed nuts in a serving size of one ounce. A typical small packet of peanuts from a vending machine contains one ounce.
Sophisticated data analysis methods were used to rule out other factors that might have accounted for the mortality benefits. For example, the researchers found that individuals who ate more nuts were leaner, less likely to smoke, and more likely to exercise, use multivitamin supplements, consume more fruits and vegetables, and drink more alcohol. However, analysis was able to isolate the association between nuts and mortality independently of these other factors.
VIDEO:
A study by Dr. Charles Fuchs and other researchers links nut consumption to reduced death rate
Click here for more information.
"In all these analyses, the more nuts people ate, the less likely they were to die over the 30-year follow-up period," explained Ying Bao, MD, ScD, of Brigham and Women's Hospital, first author of the report. Those who ate nuts less than once a week had a seven percent reduction in mortality; once a week, 11 percent reduction; two to four times per week, 13 percent reduction; five to six times per week, 15 percent reduction, and seven or more times a week, a 20 percent reduction in death rate.
The authors do note that this large study cannot definitively prove cause and effect; nonetheless, the findings are strongly consistent with "a wealth of existing observational and clinical trial data to support health benefits of nut consumption on many chronic diseases." In fact, based on previous studies, the US Food and Drug Administration concluded in 2003 that eating 1.5 ounces per day of most nuts "may reduce the risk of heart disease."
INFORMATION:
The study is supported by National Institutes of Health grants UM1 CA167552, P01 CA87969, R01 HL60712, R01CA124908, P50 CA127003, and 1U54 CA155626-01, and a research grant from the International Tree Nut Council Nutrition Research & Education Foundation.
About Dana-Farber
Dana-Farber Cancer Institute is a principal teaching affiliate of the Harvard Medical School and is among the leading cancer research and care centers in the United States. It is a founding member of the Dana-Farber/Harvard Cancer Center, designated a comprehensive cancer center by the National Cancer Institute. It provides adult cancer care with Brigham and Women's Hospital as Dana-Farber/Brigham and Women's Cancer Center and it provides pediatric care with Boston Children's Hospital as Dana-Farber/Boston Children's Cancer and Blood Disorders Center. Dana-Farber is the top ranked cancer center in New England and fifth nationally, according to U.S. News & World Report, and one of the largest recipients among independent hospitals of National Cancer Institute and National Institutes of Health grant funding. Follow Dana-Farber on Facebook and Twitter.
About Brigham and Women's
Brigham and Women's Hospital (BWH) is a 793-bed nonprofit teaching affiliate of Harvard Medical School and a founding member of Partners HealthCare. BWH has more than 3.5 million annual patient visits, is the largest birthing center in New England and employs nearly 15,000 people. The Brigham's medical preeminence dates back to 1832, and today that rich history in clinical care is coupled with its national leadership in patient care, quality improvement and patient safety initiatives, and its dedication to research, innovation, community engagement and educating and training the next generation of health care professionals. Through investigation and discovery conducted at its Biomedical Research Institute (BRI), BWH is an international leader in basic, clinical and translational research on human diseases, more than 1,000 physician-investigators and renowned biomedical scientists and faculty supported by nearly $650 million in funding. For the last 25 years, BWH ranked second in research funding from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) among independent hospitals. BWH continually pushes the boundaries of medicine, including building on its legacy in transplantation by performing a partial face transplant in 2009 and the nation's first full face transplant in 2011. BWH is also home to major landmark epidemiologic population studies, including the Nurses' and Physicians' Health Studies and the Women's Health Initiative. For more information and resources, please visit BWH's online newsroom. Follow BWH on Facebook and Twitter.
Large study links nut consumption to reduced death rate
Research also shows people who eat nuts weigh less
2013-11-21
ELSE PRESS RELEASES FROM THIS DATE:
Study reveals how variant forms of APOE protein impact risk of Alzheimer's disease
2013-11-21
Study reveals how variant forms of APOE protein impact risk of Alzheimer's disease
Introducing protective variant into brain appears to halt, even reverse progression in mouse models
Carrying a particular version of the gene for apolipoprotein E (APOE) ...
'Undruggable' mutation meets its match
2013-11-21
'Undruggable' mutation meets its match
6-year effort yields first drug to target important cancer gene
In the field of drug design, the protein K-Ras is legendary. It's been on everyone's "target" list for more than 30 years due to its status as the most commonly ...
Drug strategy blocks a leading driver of cancer
2013-11-21
Drug strategy blocks a leading driver of cancer
UCSF researchers solve decades-old challenge
The protein in cells that most often drives the development of cancers has eluded scientists' efforts to block it for three decades — until now.
Using ...
Long-term unemployment may accelerate aging in men
2013-11-21
Long-term unemployment may accelerate aging in men
Men who are unemployed for more than two years show signs of faster ageing in their DNA, a new study has found.
Researchers at Imperial College London and the University of Oulu, Finland studied DNA samples ...
Recessions experienced in mid-life linked to higher risk of cognitive decline later on
2013-11-21
Recessions experienced in mid-life linked to higher risk of cognitive decline later on
Enforced job loss, part time working, and lower paid, lower status jobs may all take their toll
Lay-offs and enforced part time work and lower paid, lower status jobs ...
Too much weekly sport seems to be as bad as too little for teen wellbeing
2013-11-21
Too much weekly sport seems to be as bad as too little for teen wellbeing
But maximum benefit gained from double official recommendation on physical activity
But the maximum benefit seems to be obtained from 14 hours of sport a week, which is double the ...
Excessive testosterone raises mortality risk in older men
2013-11-21
Excessive testosterone raises mortality risk in older men
Study pinpoints optimal testosterone range for longer lifespan
Chevy Chase, MD—Older men whose testosterone levels were neither low nor high tended to live longer, according to new research accepted ...
Metabolically healthy obesity does not guarantee clean bill of health
2013-11-21
Metabolically healthy obesity does not guarantee clean bill of health
High BMI linked to increased risk of diabetes, cardiovascular disease
Chevy Chase, MD—Obese people who are currently metabolically healthy face a higher risk of developing diabetes and ...
International Tree Nut Council funded study links nut consumption to reduced death rate
2013-11-21
International Tree Nut Council funded study links nut consumption to reduced death rate
Largest study to date on nut consumption and mortality in New England Journal of Medicine
In a study published today in the New England Journal of Medicine, researchers looked ...
Mount Sinai finds brain abnormalities linked to impaired self-awareness in cocaine addiction
2013-11-21
Mount Sinai finds brain abnormalities linked to impaired self-awareness in cocaine addiction
Study challenges stigmatizing assumptions about cocaine addicted-individuals, points to targeted treatments based on quantifiable ...
LAST 30 PRESS RELEASES:
New research boosts future whooping cough vaccines
Mechanistic understanding could enable better fast-charging batteries
No bones about it: new details about skeletal cell aging revealed
UNM scientists discover how nanoparticles of toxic metal used in MRI scans infiltrate human tissue
UMaine research examines best methods for growing Atlantic sea scallops
Medical cannabis could speed recovery, especially at community recovery homes
Study assesses U.S. image amid weakening of democracy
Two scientific researchers to receive 2025 Ralph L. Sacco Scholarships for Brain Health
Researchers improve chemical reaction that underpins products from foods to fuels
Texas Tech to develop semiconductor power devices through $6 million grant
Novel genomic screening tool enables precision reverse-engineering of genetic programming in cells
Hot Schrödinger cat states created
How cells repair their power plants
Oxygen is running low in inland waters—and humans are to blame
ACP’s Best Practice Advice addresses use of cannabis, cannabinoids for chronic noncancer pain
Beyond photorespiration: A systematic approach to unlocking enhanced plant productivity
How a small number of mutations can fuel outbreaks of western equine encephalitis virus
Exposure to wildfire smoke linked with worsening mental health conditions
Research uncovers hidden spread of one of the most common hospital-associated infections
Many older adults send their doctors portal messages, but who pays?
Fine particulate matter from 2020 California wildfires and mental health–related emergency department visits
Gender inequity in institutional leadership roles in US academic medical centers
Pancreatic cells ‘remember’ epigenetic precancerous marks without genetic sequence mutations
Rare combination of ovarian tumors found in one patient
AI-driven clinical recommendations may aid physician decision making to improve quality of care
Artificial intelligence has potential to aid physician decisions during virtual urgent care
ACP and Annals of Internal Medicine present breaking scientific news at ACP’s Internal Medicine Meeting 2025
New study reveals polymers with flawed fillers boost heat transfer in plastics
Signs identified that precede sudden arrhythmic death syndrome in young people
Discovery of bacteria's defence against viruses becomes a piece of the puzzle against resistance
[Press-News.org] Large study links nut consumption to reduced death rateResearch also shows people who eat nuts weigh less