Eating patterns that align with the Mediterranean or DASH diets could help lower cardiovascular disease risk in adults with Type 1 diabetes, according to results from a six-year study led by researchers at UNLV and the University of Colorado.

Both diets are considered heart-healthy and emphasize plant-based foods, healthy fats, lean proteins, and low intake of processed foods and sugars.

The study included 1,255 adults — 563 with Type 1 diabetes and 692 without diabetes. The researchers assessed diet using a food frequency questionnaire, which obtained dietary information on different food groups. The information was used to calculate nutrient intake over the course of the six years and to determine how well dietary patterns conformed to three diets commonly used in cardiovascular disease management: the Mediterranean diet, the dietary approaches to stop hypertension (DASH) diet, and the alternative healthy eating index (AHEI).

“Type 1 diabetes increases the risk of developing cardiovascular disease, which raises the likelihood of heart attacks, strokes and other serious health complications,” said Arpita Basu, associate professor in the department of Kinesiology and Nutrition Sciences within UNLV’s School of Integrated Health Sciences. “We wanted to find out how people’s regular eating habits affected blood inflammatory markers that predict cardiovascular disease risk in adults with Type 1 diabetes.” 

The study, which was presented last week during the American Society for Nutrition's annual conference in Chicago, builds on earlier work from the team which showed that dietary patterns were associated with less fat accumulation surrounding heart tissue in adults with and without Type 1 diabetes. These dietary patterns also revealed lower odds of coronary artery calcification, an advanced form of cardiovascular disease in adults without diabetes. 

“This new study reports the protective associations of these diets with selected blood cardiovascular disease markers that may explain our previous findings and provide new data on how diet affects inflammation in Type 1 diabetes,” Basu said. 

In the current study, researchers also analyzed a variety of blood biomarkers frequently used in clinical settings to determine cardiovascular disease risk and inflammation. 

Overall, those who consumed diets more closely conforming to DASH and Mediterranean patterns had lower levels of the biomarkers after accounting for other demographic and lifestyle factors such as body mass index, age, total caloric intake, blood lipids, blood pressure, smoking and physical activity. No associations were observed between AHEI scores and any of the biomarkers studied.

The analysis also revealed that adults with Type 1 diabetes generally consume a high-fat diet, mostly as a consequence of decreasing carbohydrates and increasing animal protein foods that are high in saturated fats and cholesterol. 

“There is an urgent need to address dietary quality in adults with Type 1 diabetes,” Basu said. “In a clinical setting, assessing dietary intakes using the DASH and Mediterranean dietary checklists could be an effective way to identify gaps and improve intakes. Specific foods that are part of these dietary patterns, such as olives and nuts in the Mediterranean diet, could be added to the diet even if the entire diet cannot be altered.” 

Basu recommends that individuals considering the DASH or Mediterranean diets first consult with their primary care physician or dietitian.