The Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) diet has been incorporated into the therapeutic lifestyle changes recommended for all patients with hypertension by the Joint National Committee on Prevention, Detection, Evaluation and Treatment of High Blood Pressure (JNC). Using data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) from the 1988-1994 and 1999-2004 periods, Mellen et al. evaluated compliance with the DASH diet among 4,386 American individuals with self-reported hypertension and assessed whether their diet has improved since the publication and dissemination of the DASH results. Results of this study indicated that the dietary profile of adults with hypertension in the United States was far removed from the DASH dietary pattern. Moreover, the dietary quality of adults with hypertension has deteriorated since the introduction of the DASH diet, suggesting that secular trends have minimized the impact of the DASH message. Furthermore, the DASH score was lower in subgroups likely to receive the greatest benefits from the DASH diet, such as African Americans and obese individuals. These findings highlight the need for additional public health and clinical science initiatives to turn an effective plan into an effective tool to lower blood pressure and cardiovascular risk.
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