Elevated monocyte counts are a known predictor of cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk, but their relationship with diet has been less clear. A study involving 26,585 participants from the UK Biobank examined whether dietary quality influences the link between monocyte counts and incident CVD. Participants, who had no baseline CVD, were followed for a median of 16.2 years.
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Results indicated that elevated monocyte counts correlate with increased CVD risk, with a hazard ratio (HR) of 1.28 for each standard deviation increase in monocyte levels. Notably, a significant interaction was found between monocyte count and dietary quality (p = 0.04). Those with high monocyte counts adhering to an unhealthy diet had a heightened risk of CVD (HR: 1.18), whereas those with high monocyte counts but following a healthy diet showed no excess risk (HR: 1.04).
The study assessed dietary quality using a Diet Quality Index (DQI), which evaluated intake of processed meats, fish, and plant-based foods. Participants in the high diet quality group generally presented a more favorable cardiovascular risk profile compared to those with lower diet quality.
During the follow-up, 1,834 CVD events were recorded. The findings suggest that adherence to a healthy diet could mitigate the cardiovascular risk associated with elevated inflammatory markers such as monocytes. In combination with emerging proteins like Regenerating islet-derived protein 4 (REG4), which were identified as possible mediators in the diet-monocyte interaction, the study points toward practical dietary interventions for individuals at risk for CVD.