In the Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis (MESA), the relationship between dietary patterns and cardiovascular disease (CVD) was investigated in 5316 men and women (White, Black, Hispanic and Chinese adults aged 45-84 years) free of CVD and type 2 diabetes. Participants completed a food-frequency questionnaire and were followed for a median 4.6 years. Higher Fats and Processed Meat dietary pattern was associated with a significant greater relative risk of CVD (hazard ration (HR) quintile 5 compared to quintile 1: 1.82; 95% CI: 0.99, 3.35) compared to the Whole Grains and Fruits dietary pattern which was associated with a lower CVD risk (0.54; CI: 0.33, 0.91) after adjustments for demographic and lifestyle confounders. Even after adjustment for waist circumference and biomarkers of CVD, the Whole Grains and Fruits dietary pattern remained significantly associated with CVD. Vegetables and Fish as well as Beans, Tomatoes and Refined Grains dietary patterns were not associated with CVD outcomes. Thus, in agreement to previous studies in White cohorts, this multi-ethnic cohort reinforces the importance of healthy dietary patterns as predictors of CVD incidence.
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