Dietary Folate and Vitamin B 6 and B 12 Intake in Relation to Mortality From Cardiovascular Diseases: Japan Collaborative Cohort Study

Background and Purpose— The association of dietary folate and B vitamin intakes with risk of cardiovascular disease is controversial, and the evidence in Asian populations is limited. Methods— A total of 23 119 men and 35 611 women, age 40 to 79 years, completed a food frequency questionnaire in the Japan Collaborative Cohort Study. During the median 14-year follow-up, there were 986 deaths from stroke, 424 from coronary heart disease, and 2087 from cardiovascular disease. Results— Dietary folate and vitamin B 6 intakes were inversely associated with mortality from heart failure for men and with mortality from stroke, coronary heart disease, and total cardiovascular disease for women. These inverse associations did not change materially after adjustment for cardiovascular risk factors. No association was found between vitamin B 12 intake and mortality risk. Conclusions— High dietary intakes of folate and vitamin B 6 were associated with reduced risk of mortality from stroke, coronary heart disease, and heart failure among Japanese.