Food Sensitization and Heart Disease Risk

The Role of Food Sensitization in Cardiovascular Disease

NIH-funded research Univ of North Carolina Chapel Hill · NIH-11168844

This project looks at whether common food allergy antibodies in adults are linked to higher risk of heart and blood vessel disease.

Quick facts

Grant typeR01 grant
Study typeNIH-funded research
Funding institutionUniv of North Carolina Chapel Hill NIH-funded
Lab location1 site (Chapel Hill, United States)
Project IDNIH-11168844 on NIH RePORTER

What this research studies

You would be part of research that measures blood IgE antibodies to common foods in adults and links those results to heart disease outcomes using large U.S. health studies. The team will compare different types of cardiovascular problems and look for patterns tied to specific food antibodies. They will also examine whether regularly eating a food you are sensitized to changes your heart disease risk. Much of the work uses national survey and long-term cohort data, with possible local blood sample or dietary follow-up.

Who could benefit from this research

Good fit: Adults aged 21 and older, particularly those with atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease or known food sensitizations, would be most relevant for this work.

Not a fit: People under age 21 or those without measurable food-specific IgE antibodies are unlikely to be included or to benefit directly from this research.

Why it matters

Potential benefit: If findings hold up, doctors might be able to identify people whose food sensitizations increase heart disease risk and offer targeted prevention or monitoring.

How similar studies have performed: Prior analyses of NHANES and MESA found an association between cow's milk–specific IgE and higher cardiovascular mortality, so there is preliminary human evidence for parts of this idea but broader food links are still novel.

Where this research is happening

Chapel Hill, United States

Researchers

About this research

  1. This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
  2. Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
  3. For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.
Last reviewed 2026-06-13 by the Find a Trial editorial team. Information on this page is for educational purposes and is not medical advice. Always consult qualified healthcare professionals about clinical trial participation.