13-year study finds lower odds for atrial fibrillation in people eating moderate amounts
WEDNESDAY, May 24, 2017 (HealthDay News) — Regular chocolate consumption may lead to a lower risk of atrial fibrillation (AF), according to research published online May 23 in Heart.
The study tracked the health of 55,502 individuals for more than 13 years. Over this time period, 3,346 cases of AF emerged.
The researchers found that, compared with people who ate a 1-ounce serving of chocolate less than once a month, the risk of AF was 10 percent lower among those who ate one to three servings a month (hazard ratio [HR], 0.90; 95 percent confidence interval [CI], 0.82 to 0.98), 17 percent lower among those who ate one serving a week (HR, 0.83; 95 percent CI, 0.74 to 0.92), and 20 percent lower among those who ate two to six servings of chocolate a week (HR, 0.80; 95 percent CI, 0.71 to 0.91). The team also found an association with reduced risk among adults who ate one or more 1-ounce servings of chocolate a day (HR, 0.84; 95 percent CI, 0.65 to 1.09; P-linear trend < 0.0001).
“In this large prospective cohort study we found that, compared with individuals reporting chocolate intake less than once per month, the rate of AF was lower for people consuming chocolate regularly, with similar results for men and women,” the authors write. “Chocolate intake may be inversely associated with AF risk. Therefore, dark chocolate may be a healthy snack option that helps to prevent the development of AF.”
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