A new study published in the scientific paper Circulation: Cardiovascular Quality and Outcomes estimates that for people who have mildly elevated blood pressure, eating the DASH diet can reduce the risk of heart attack by almost 20%.

Researchers at Johns Hopkins Medical Center looked at the data from the original DASH trials conducted in the 1990’s. The DASH for Health team’s Dr. Tom Moore was the Principal Investigator in that research. For more click here. This new research used a risk assessment tool created for the Framingham Heart Study to estimate the risk of heart attack associated with particular eating patterns.

The results? This research suggests that in individuals with elevated blood pressure, eating the DASH diet would reduce their risk of heart attack by 18% as compared to someone eating a typical American diet. African Americans are estimated to see an even bigger benefit, reducing their risk of heart attack by 22%. This risk is calculated independent of weight loss, which means that even if these people did not lose a pound, changing their eating habits alone would be enough to reduce heart disease risk.

This study underscores the powerful benefits of the DASH diet. Renew your commitment today to come closer to meeting your DASH food goals every day – and reap the benefits. Click here to recalculate your DASH goals.