Women who are on a diet designed to prevent and treat high blood pressure also have a lower risk of heart failure, according to a new study.

Scientists from Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center in Boston analyzed data from 36,019 Swedish women aged 48 to 83 without heart failure. Participants completed a food questionnaire at the beginning of the study that was used to calculate a score indicating how closely their diets matched DASH guidelines.

The DASH, or Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension, diet is based on a high intake of fruits, vegetables, low-fat dairy products and whole grains.

During a seven-year follow-up, 443 women developed heart failure and 28 died of the condition. However, women with the highest DASH diet scores had a 37 percent lower rate of heart failure after factors such as age, physical activity and smoking were considered.

“DASH may contribute to prevention of heart failure in some cases because it effectively reduces blood pressure and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels in clinical trials,” the authors wrote in the Archives of Internal Medicine.

Another diet recommended by many health practitioners is the alkaline diet.

It is rich in citrus fruits, vegetables, tubers, nuts and legumes, and it has the added advantage of boosting bone health into old age.