Comparative Studies on the Relation Between Nutritional Conditions and Blood Pressure Levels of Two Rural Populations with Lower Incidences of Ischemic Heart Diseases in Japan and Spain

Abstract

Comparative studies on nutritional constituents and blood pressure (BP) levels were performed in two rural areas--in Japan (Ohda) and Spain (Navas)--with low incidences of ischemic heart disease. BP levels of both populations were relatively low, probably resulting from potassium- and magnesium-rich Mediterranean diets in Navas and from fish protein-rich Japanese diets in Ohda assessed by 24-h urine analyses according to the World Health Organization (WHO) Cardiovascular Diseases and Alimentary Comparison (CARDIAC) Study.