Arterial stiffness is a recognized marker of vascular aging and an independent predictor of cardiovascular risk. Although dietary factors may influence vascular health, the long-term effects of specific nutrients on arterial stiffness progression remain incompletely defined.

A longitudinal analysis from the EVA study published in Nutrients evaluated whether baseline dietary intake of macronutrients and minerals was associated with progression of arterial stiffness over 5 years in adults without prior cardiovascular disease. The study included 466 participants with a mean age of 55.96 ± 14.15 years, and 51.1% were women.

Arterial stiffness was assessed at baseline and at 5-year follow-up using carotid-femoral pulse wave velocity (cfPWV) and cardio-ankle vascular index (CAVI). Dietary intake was recorded only at baseline using a 3-day dietary record collected through the EVIDENT smartphone application. Multivariable linear regression models were adjusted for age, sex, lifestyle variables, and cardiovascular risk factors.

Findings

• Higher dietary fiber intake was independently associated with lower progression of cfPWV after full adjustment (β = −0.025; 95% CI −0.046 to −0.005).
• Alcohol intake was associated with greater CAVI progression in the fully adjusted model (β = 0.020; 95% CI 0.006-0.034).
• Iron intake was also independently associated with increased CAVI progression (β = 0.022; 95% CI 0.004-0.041).
• Carbohydrate intake showed a small positive association with CAVI progression.
• Most other macronutrients and minerals were not independently associated with arterial stiffness progression after comprehensive adjustment.

The findings suggest that selected dietary components may modestly influence vascular aging in adults without established cardiovascular disease.