According to a study being presented at the European Congress on Obesity (ECO), which is being held on May 4-7, 2022 in Maastricht, the Netherlands, there may be some very particular dietary changes you can make that will help keep your arteries healthy and flexible. The authors say that protein, niacin, and zinc were linked to improvements in both the structure and function of blood vessels in their study.

In addition, they point to a specific dietery pattern which may do a good job of providing you with these nutrients, as well as others that are linked to cardiovascular health.

The research is pre-publication and has not yet been peer-reviewed.

Lead author Dr. Brurya Tal and her team at The Sagol Center for the Metabolic Syndrome, Institute of Endocrinology, Metabolism and Hypertension, Tel Aviv-Sourasky Medical Center, Tel Aviv, Israel, wrote that it is known that weight loss is associated with improvements in cardiovascular and metabolic health.

What it is not known, however, is whether any particular nutrient changes during dieting might be responsible for those improvements.

In order to investigate this question, the researchers enrolled 72 people with metabolic syndrome and obesity into a one-year weight loss program. Metabolic syndrome is defined by the American Heart AssociationTrusted Source as having at least three of the following risk factors:

–        High blood sugar

–        Low levels of the “good” cholesterol HDL

–        High levels of triglycerides

–        Excess abdominal fat

–        High blood pressure

Having metabolic syndrome puts people at greater risk for heart and blood vessel diseases.

According to the World Health OrganizationTrusted Source (WHO), obesity is characterized by a body mass index (BMI) greater than 30.

The study participants were provided with a personalized diet and exercise plan as well as regular meetings with a doctor and a dietitian.

The average age of the participants was 53.

They were required to complete a dietary questionnaire a week before beginning the weight loss progam as well as at the end.

At the end of the year, the research team measured blood vessel flexibility in three different ways: pulse wave velocity (PWV), common carotid artery intima media thickness (IMT), and flow mediated dilation (FMD).

PWV is the rate at which pressure waves move down the vessel.

Carotid artery IMT is the thickness of the two innermost walls of the arteries which supply blood to the brain.

Source: Healthline