Whole Grain Intake Linked to Reduced Inflammatory Mortality

OSLO, Norway—Whole grain intake was inversely linked to death from non-cardiovascular, non-cancer inflammatory diseases, according to a recent trial published in the June issue of the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition (85,6:1606-14, 2007).

Researchers from Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, University of Oslo, and School of Public Health, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, monitored 27,312 postmenopausal women (between 55 to 69 years old), who took part in the Iowa Women’s Health Study. The women were followed for 17 years, during which 5,552 died. In analyzing the study data, researchers used a proportional hazards regression model, which was adjusted for age, smoking, adiposity, education, physical activity, and other dietary factors.

Compared with hazard ratios in women who rarely or never ate whole-grain foods, the hazard ratio was 0.69 for those who consumed four to seven servings weekly; 0.79 for 7.5 to 10.5 servings; 0.64 for 11 to 18.5 servings; and 0.66 for 19 servings. Previously reported inverse associations of whole-grain intake with total and coronary heart disease mortality persisted after 17 years of follow-up.

The researchers noted the reduction in inflammatory mortality associated with habitual whole-grain intake was larger than that previously reported for coronary heart disease and diabetes. They suggested oxidative stress reduction by constituents of whole grain is a likely mechanism for the protective effect because a variety of phytochemicals found in whole grains may directly or indirectly inhibit oxidative stress, and because oxidative stress is an inevitable consequence of inflammation.