Artificial Intelligence Used to Examine the Benefits of Walnuts

Findings show that walnut consumption leaves a metabolomic signature in the body associated with lower risk of type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease. Istanbul, February 16, 2021 - Researchers from Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health are using machine learning, a subset of artificial intelligence, to more precisely identify components in walnuts that could potentially reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease (two of the leading causes of death in the United States). Supported by the California Walnut Commission and published in The Journal of Nutrition, this study used agnostic machine learning, a new approach to identify 19 metabolites associated with walnut consumption. The body produces certain metabolites depending on which food is consumed. The walnut metabolite profile was associated with 17% lower type 2 diabetes risk and 29% lower cardiovascular disease risk. While this is the first study examining the relationship between walnut metabolites and cardiometabolic disease risk, it contributes to thirty years of existing research on walnuts and heart health. Dr. Marta Guasch-Ferré, Research Scientist in the Department of Nutrition at Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Instructor in Medicine at Harvard Medical School and Brigham and Women's Hospital, and lead researcher of this study, states: "With data-driven technologies, we can advance our understanding of the relationship between diet and disease and implement a personalized nutrition approach that will lead to better prevention and management of various health conditions."

"In this study, we uncovered the unique metabolomic signature of walnuts, bringing us one step closer to understanding 'how' walnuts are beneficial for our health. These latest technologies are shaping the future of nutrition recommendations," says Marta Guasch-Ferré.

Researchers examined data from 1,833 participants in the PREvención con DIeta MEDiterránea (PREDIMED) study, a large-scale, multi-year study conducted in Spain that investigated the effects of the Mediterranean diet in preventing cardiovascular disease in people at high risk of heart disease. Participants were between 55-80 years of age and followed one of three diets: 1) Mediterranean diet supplemented with mixed nuts (50% walnuts, 25% almonds and 25% hazelnuts); 2) Mediterranean diet enriched with extra virgin olive oil; or 3) Low-fat diet. Metabolites in walnuts comprise a walnut metabolite profile associated with reductions in type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease. These findings further emphasize the link between walnut consumption and cardiometabolic health as part of a healthy diet. The new tools used in this epidemiological study will help identify connections between diet and disease. However, the results do not prove cause and effect. Since this study focused only on older Spanish adults, further research in other populations is needed. Additionally, given the rapid development of the metabolomics field, future studies will be needed to identify additional walnut consumption biomarkers not tracked in this study and to understand individual metabolic responses following walnut consumption.

Turkey: Above-Average European Prevalence of Diabetes and Cardiovascular Disease Related to Heart Attacks

Recent data updated by the International Diabetes Federation (IDF) show that Turkey has approximately 7 million diabetes patients in the 20-79 age group, and this figure corresponds to 15% of the total adult population in the country. Diabetes is a public health issue. Type 2 Diabetes is a 80% preventable disease. Regarding cardiovascular disease in Turkey, Cardiologist Dr. Baha Aydoğ stated: "Heart disease unfortunately causes 300,000 heart attacks and 125,000 deaths annually in Turkey. In this context, the analysis and findings conducted at Harvard University are extremely important." Noting that according to the World Health Organization, more than three-quarters of deaths from cardiovascular disease can be prevented by implementing appropriate lifestyle changes and controlling modifiable risk factors, Aydoğ emphasized that death rates from heart attacks in Turkey are above the European average, and this adverse situation can be managed through healthy lifestyle changes and a heart-friendly diet starting from childhood.