Does greater adherence to a healthy dietary pattern correspond to a better body composition and cardiorespiratory fitness in adults with overweight and primary hypertension? Data from the EXERDIET-HTA study

Cardiovascular events are positively associated with primary hypertension (HTN), obesity, and low cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF) and negatively with healthy dietary patterns, such as Healthy Diet Indicator (HDI), Mediterranean diet (MD), and the Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH). The aim is to analyze the association between healthy dietary patterns with body composition and CRF. Body composition (bioimpedance) and CRF [peak oxygen uptake (V̇O 2peak )] were assessed in 165 participants with HTN and overweight/obesity. There were (1) a positive association (unadjusted) between fat-free mass (%) with DASH and MD ( P = 0.03) and a negative association between fat mass (%) and MD ( P = 0.03); (2) positive associations (adjusted) between V̇O 2peak (l·min -1 ) with DASH ( P = 0.007), HDI ( P = 0.017), and MD ( P = 0.010) and V̇O 2peak (ml·kg -1 ·min -1 ) with DASH ( P = 0.005); (3) a negative relationship (unadjusted and adjusted) between energy intake and DASH ( P = 0.004). In conclusion, these findings highlight the cardiovascular health protection provided by healthy dietary patterns associated with healthier CRF and body composition in people with a profile of HTN and overweight.