Glycemic Index, Glycemic Load, and Cardiovascular Disease and Mortality

This large international study involving 137,851 participants from 20 countries examined the association between dietary glycemic index (GI) and glycemic load (GL) with cardiovascular disease (CVD) and mortality. Over a median follow-up of 9.5 years, high GI diets were linked to increased risks of major cardiovascular events (hazard ratio [HR] 1.51 for those with preexisting CVD; HR 1.21 for those without) and all cause mortality. Similar trends were observed for GL, particularly in individuals with CVD. Regional variations highlighted stronger associations in China and the Middle East. The findings suggest that low GI/GL diets may reduce CVD risk globally, especially in high BMI populations.

This large international study involving 137,851 participants from 20 countries examined the association between dietary glycemic index (GI) and glycemic load (GL) with cardiovascular disease (CVD) and mortality. Over a median follow-up of 9.5 years, high GI diets were linked to increased risks of major cardiovascular events (hazard ratio [HR] 1.51 for those with preexisting CVD; HR 1.21 for those without) and all cause mortality. Similar trends were observed for GL, particularly in individuals with CVD. Regional variations highlighted stronger associations in China and the Middle East. The findings suggest that low GI/GL diets may reduce CVD risk globally, especially in high BMI populations.