Background: Arterial stiffness (AS) is a key marker of vascular aging and an independent predictor of cardiovascular risk. Although diet has been proposed as an important modifiable factor influencing vascular health, the independent associations between specific macronutrients and minerals and the progression of arterial stiffness remain insufficiently characterized. Objective: The aim of this longitudinal study was to evaluate the independent associations of baseline dietary macronutrient and mineral intake with the 5-year progression of arterial stiffness (assessed via carotid–femoral pulse wave velocity (cfPWV) and cardio-ankle vascular index (CAVI) in adults without prior cardiovascular disease. Methods: This longitudinal study included 466 participants from the EVA study who were evaluated at baseline and after a five-year follow-up (mean age 55.96 ± 14.15 years; 51.1% women). Arterial stiffness was assessed using cfPWV and CAVI. Dietary intake of macronutrients and minerals was estimated using the EVIDENT smartphone application. Multivariable linear regression models were used to examine the association between nutrient intake and arterial stiffness progression. Model 1 was adjusted for age and sex, and Model 2 was additionally adjusted for lifestyle variables and cardiovascular risk factors. Dietary intake was exclusively documented at baseline using a 3-day dietary record, while arterial stiffness parameters (cfPWV and CAVI) were assessed both at baseline and at the five-year follow-up. Results: Higher dietary fiber intake was independently associated with a lower increment in cfPWV after full adjustment (β = −0.025; 95% CI (confidence interval): −0.046 to −0.005). Alcohol intake showed a positive association with CAVI increment in the fully adjusted model (β = 0.020; 95% CI: 0.006 to 0.034). Iron intake was also independently associated with increased CAVI (β = 0.022; 95% CI: 0.004 to 0.041). Carbohydrate intake showed a small positive association with CAVI, whereas no consistent independent associations were observed for other macronutrients or minerals. Conclusions: In this adult population without previous cardiovascular disease, higher dietary fiber intake was associated with lower progression of central arterial stiffness, whereas alcohol and iron intake showed positive associations with peripheral arterial stiffness. Overall, most nutrients were not independently related to arterial stiffness after comprehensive adjustment. These findings suggest that selected dietary components may contribute modestly to vascular aging.

Background: Evidence from prospective studies on the relationship of the dietary vitamin intake and the progression of central and peripheral arterial stiffness remains limited. Objective: To evaluate the association between dietary vitamin intake with the changes in central and peripheral arterial stiffness over a five-year follow-up in adults without previous cardiovascular disease. Methods: This five-year longitudinal study included 466 participants from the EVA study who were evaluated at baseline and follow-up (mean age 55.96 ± 14.15 years; 51.1% women). Central arterial stiffness was assessed using carotid–femoral pulse wave velocity (cfPWV), and peripheral arterial stiffness was measured using brachial–ankle pulse wave velocity (baPWV). Dietary vitamin intake was estimated using the EVIDENT smartphone application, developed and validated by CGB and the Salamanca Primary Care (APISAL; registration number 00/2014/2207). Results: In multivariable linear regression analyses adjusted for age, sex, lifestyle factors, and cardiovascular risk factors, greater increases in cfPWV were inversely associated with vitamin B9 (folate) intake (β = −0.233; 95% CI: −0.390 to −0.075) and vitamin C intake (β = −0.291; 95% CI: −0.507 to −0.075). Similarly, increases in baPWV were inversely associated with vitamin B9 intake (β = −0.156; 95% CI: −0.287 to −0.025) and vitamin C intake (β = −0.223; 95%CI: −0.402 to −0.044). Conclusions: The progression of central and peripheral arterial stiffness over five years was greater in individuals with lower dietary intakes of vitamin B9 and vitamin C. These findings provide novel evidence supporting the possible role of dietary vitamin intake in the progression of arterial stiffness with aging.

Background: Arterial stiffness is a key marker of vascular aging and an independent predictor of cardiovascular risk. Although diet has been proposed as an important modifiable factor influencing vascular health, the independent associations between specific macro- and micronutrients and the progression of arterial stiffness remain insufficiently characterized. Objective: To evaluate the association between dietary macronutrient and micronutrient intake and changes in arterial stiffness over a five-year follow-up in adults without previous cardiovascular disease. Methods: This longitudinal study included 466 participants from the EVA study who were evaluated at baseline and after a five-year follow-up (mean age 55.96 ± 14.15 years; 51.1% women). Arterial stiffnes was assessed using carotid–femoral pulse wave velocity (cfPWV) and the cardio-ankle vascular index (CAVI). Dietary intake of macronutrients and micronutrients was estimated using the EVIDENT smartphone application. Multivariable linear regression models were used to examine the association between nutrient intake and arterial stiffness progression. Model 1 was adjusted for age and sex, and Model 2 was additionally adjusted for lifestyle variables and cardiovascular risk factors. Results: Higher dietary fiber intake was independently associated with a lower increment in cfPWV after full adjustment ( β = −0.025; 95% CI: −0.046 to −0.005). Alcohol intake showed a positive association with CAVI increment in the fully adjusted model ( β = 0.020; 95% CI: 0.006 to 0.034). Iron intake was also independently associated with increased CAVI ( β = 0.022; 95% CI: 0.004 to 0.041). Carbohydrate intake showed a small positive association with CAVI, whereas no consistent independent associations were observed for other macro- or micronutrients. Conclusions: In this adult population without previous cardiovascular disease, higher dietary fiber intake was associated with lower progression of central arterial stiffness, whereas alcohol and iron intake showed positive associations with peripheral arterial stiffness. Overall, most nutrients were not independently related to arterial stiffness after comprehensive adjustment. These findings suggest that selected dietary components may contribute modestly to vascular aging.

The prospective association of sex and sociodemographic indicators with central and peripheral arterial stiffness is poorly understood. The objective was to evaluate the association between sex, marital status, educational attainment, and occupational status and central and peripheral arterial stiffness, as well as their 5‐year progression, in adults without previous cardiovascular disease. We analyzed 480 participants assessed at baseline and at 5‐year follow‐up (mean age 56.0 ± 14.2 years; 50.6% women). Central stiffness was measured as carotid‐femoral pulse wave velocity (cfPWV) and peripheral stiffness as brachial‐ankle pulse wave velocity (baPWV). Adjusted cross‐sectional differences were estimated using Student’s t ‐test and ANCOVA, and the 5‐year evolution was analyzed using linear mixed‐effects models (LMMs). As sensitivity analyses, generalized estimating equations (GEE) were applied to obtain population‐average estimates. The results show that sex differences in 5‐year progression were modest and not statistically significant (cfPWV: p = 0.097; baPWV: p = 0.074). By marital status, single participants showed lower cfPWV progression than married participants, whereas divorced/widowed participants showed greater baPWV progression than married participants (global interaction: cfPWV p = 0.006; baPWV p = 0.014). By educational attainment, participants with primary education showed greater baPWV progression than those with university education (global interaction: baPWV p = 0.003), with no statistically significant differences in cfPWV progression ( p = 0.157). By occupational status, the increase in baPWV was greater in pensioners than in workers (global interaction: p < 0.001), with no consistent differences in cfPWV ( p = 0.663). These findings were broadly reproduced in the GEE sensitivity analysis. Overall, sex and sociodemographic indicators were associated with modest differences in 5‐year arterial stiffness progression, mainly involving marital status, educational attainment, and occupational status. These findings should be interpreted as differences in subclinical vascular aging rather than as direct evidence of clinically meaningful individual risk reclassification.