New research out of Sweden has found that people who eat the least fiber are more likely to develop a dangerous form of heart plaque, one that’s more likely to rupture and cause a heart attack.
The study, published in Cardiovascular Research, analyzed data from more than 24,000 adults between 50 and 64 years old as part of the Swedish CardioPulmonary bioImage Study (SCAPIS), the largest study of its kind in the world. Using advanced heart scans, researchers looked for early signs of atherosclerosis — plaque buildup in the arteries — and matched those findings with participants’ diets.
Those with the least healthy diets had a 1.6 times higher risk of developing high-risk plaque than those with healthier eating habits.
“When we matched people’s coronary artery images with their dietary patterns, we could not only see that there is an association between dietary pattern and the presence of plaque in the coronary arteries, but also that the composition of the plaques, how dangerous they can be, is related to diet,” said study lead Dr. Isabel Goncalves, professor of cardiology at Lund University and senior consultant at Skåne University Hospital.
The research didn’t just focus on fiber intake alone but examined overall dietary patterns. Diets rich in whole grains, vegetables, fruits, nuts and healthy oils (like olive or rapeseed) were linked to fewer high-risk plaques. Diets heavy in red meat, sugary drinks, chips and processed foods showed the opposite trend.
Even after accounting for other risk factors like high blood pressure, belly fat and elevated triglycerides, diet remained an important predictor.
“Our results suggest that an unhealthy, low-fiber diet may contribute to changes in the body and metabolism which in turn may lead to unfavorable plaque characteristic,” Goncalves said.
The study was funded primarily by the Swedish Heart Lung Foundation and conducted by researchers at Lund University and collaborating universities and hospitals across Sweden.