Gut‑Friendly Diet Linked to Lower Mortality in US Coronary Heart Disease Patients

A study of 1,537 adults with coronary heart disease drawn from the U.S. National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) between 2005 and 2018 found that a diet supporting the gut microbiome was associated with a substantially lower risk of death. Researchers calculated a Dietary Index for Gut Microbiota (DI‑GM) from 24‑hour dietary recalls; higher scores indicate a more gut‑friendly diet. Participants with a DI‑GM of 5 experienced a 40.7 % lower mortality risk compared with those scoring 0‑3, while a score of 6 or above was linked to a 35.1 % reduction. The benefit plateaued above a DI‑GM of about 5. Adjustments for age, sex, smoking, alcohol use, body‑mass index, blood pressure, diabetes and laboratory values did not eliminate the association. The protective effect was weaker among diabetics. The findings suggest that dietary patterns rich in fiber, whole grains, fermented dairy, coffee, green tea and plant foods may improve survival in patients with coronary artery disease by influencing gut microbiota.