Dietary fiber and prevalence of abdominal aortic calcification in the United States (from the national health and nutrition examination survey data [2013-2014]).

BACKGROUND

Abdominal aortic calcification (AAC) is recognized as a valuable predictor of cardiovascular diseases (CVDs). Dietary fiber is strongly correlated with CVDs. However, the effect of dietary fiber on AAC in the population is not well understood.

OBJECTIVE

To assess the relationship between dietary fiber intake and AAC in the US adult population.

METHODS

A total of 2671 individuals with both dietary fiber intake and AAC score data were enrolled from the 2013-2014 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES), a cross-sectional health examination in the US. Multinomial logistic regression was used to calculate the odds ratio (OR), with 95% confidence interval (CI). To reveal the relationship between dietary fiber intake and AAC, restricted cubic spline was also applied.

RESULTS

Out of the total participants, 241 (9%) had severe AAC and 550 (20%) had mild-moderate AAC. Multinomial logistic regression indicated that higher intake of dietary fiber was associated with lower risk of severe AAC, but not with lower risk of mild-moderate AAC. For every one standard deviation increase (9.4 g/day) in dietary fiber intake, the odds of severe AAC were reduced by 28% [OR 0.72 (95% CI, 0.57-0.90), p = 0.004], after adjusting for confounding factors. Dose-response relationship revealed that dietary fiber intake was negatively correlated with severe AAC (p for linear < 0.001, p for nonlinear = 0.695).

CONCLUSIONS

Dietary fiber intake was negatively associated with severe AAC, and showed a dose-response relationship in US adults.