The Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) diet is an eating plan designed to promote health. It is particularly recognized for its ability to help manage and prevent high blood pressure. A “DASH score” assesses how closely an individual’s eating habits align with this dietary pattern, providing a measurable way to understand adherence.
What is the DASH Diet?
The DASH diet emphasizes a variety of wholesome foods while limiting others. It encourages plenty of fruits, vegetables, and whole grains, which provide fiber and essential minerals. The diet also includes lean proteins, such as fish and poultry, along with fat-free or low-fat dairy products.
Conversely, the DASH diet recommends reducing saturated and trans fats, cholesterol, and added sugars. It also advises limiting sodium intake, typically to 2,300 milligrams per day, with a lower sodium version restricting it to 1,500 milligrams daily.
How is a DASH Score Calculated?
A DASH score quantifies how well an individual’s diet adheres to the DASH eating plan. It involves assigning points based on daily intake of food groups. Higher points are awarded for consuming recommended foods, such as fruits, vegetables, and whole grains. Conversely, fewer points, or even negative points, are given for foods to be limited, like high-sodium items or sweetened beverages.
Different scoring methodologies exist, but they reward adherence to healthy components and penalize less healthy ones. For instance, some systems might consider eight components: fruits, vegetables, nuts and legumes, whole grains, low-fat dairy, sodium, red and processed meats, and sweetened beverages. Other methods might use different components or scoring ranges, but the goal is to measure alignment with the DASH dietary pattern.
Interpreting Your DASH Score
A higher DASH score indicates greater adherence to the DASH diet principles. While specific scoring ranges vary between assessment tools, a desirable score consistently reflects strong dietary quality. For example, some scoring systems might range from 8 (lowest adherence) to 40 (highest adherence), or from 0 to 10, or even 0 to 70.
A beneficial DASH score is a high one, demonstrating regular consumption of recommended food groups and limited intake of discouraged ones. Studies often categorize scores into quintiles, where individuals in the highest quintile exhibit the strongest adherence. This high adherence implies a diet rich in protective nutrients and low in components that can negatively impact health.
The Health Impact of Your DASH Score
A higher DASH score is consistently linked to positive health outcomes. It is particularly recognized for its effectiveness in managing and preventing high blood pressure. This dietary pattern can lead to reductions in both systolic and diastolic blood pressure. Beyond blood pressure, strong adherence to the DASH diet is associated with a reduced risk of cardiovascular disease, heart attack, and stroke.
Maintaining a high DASH score can contribute to improved cholesterol levels by lowering low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol. It may also play a role in reducing the risk of type 2 diabetes and metabolic syndrome. Some research suggests a lower risk for certain cancers, including breast, colorectal, and lung cancer.
Strategies for a Healthy DASH Score
Improving your DASH score involves adjusting daily food choices to align with the diet’s guidelines. A primary strategy is to increase consumption of fruits and vegetables. Incorporating whole grains like oats, brown rice, and whole-wheat bread contributes positively. Choose fat-free or low-fat dairy products, along with lean meats, poultry, and fish, to support dietary recommendations.
Reducing sodium intake is important, achieved by reading food labels, opting for low-sodium products, and using herbs and spices instead of salt. Limiting foods high in saturated and trans fats, added sugars, and sweetened beverages will enhance your score. Gradual changes can make adherence more manageable and sustainable.