Eating Foods That Promote Inflammation May Worsen Heart Failure

PEOPLE with heart failure who eat a diet high in foods that cause inflammation are twice as likely to end up in the hospital or die as those who eat foods known to reduce inflammation, new research shows.

“If people with heart failure can reduce the amount of pro-inflammatory foods that they eat, it might help with their survival,” said lead researcher JungHee Kang, a nursing research assistant and Ph.D. student at the University of Kentucky in Lexington.

Diet has been shown to play a role in regulating inflammation, which is associated with many chronic illnesses, including heart disease. Diets high in foods such as red meat, refined grains and high-fat dairy products have been shown to increase inflammation, while foods such as olive oil, whole grains, and fruits and vegetables have been shown to lower it.

Kang looked at data from a previous study in which her team asked