[4] FMD is a noninvasive measure of blood vessel health (endothelial dysfunction[5][6]) which (when low) is at least as predictive of cardiovascular disease as traditional risk factors.
[11] An Israeli study of 618 healthy subjects found FMD to be an excellent predictor of long-term adverse cardiovascular events.
[16] A study of randomized controlled trials of the effects of cocoa and chocolate suggested a reciprocal relationship between insulin resistance and endothelia function (FMD).
[17] Both cocoa and chocolate increase FMD in a dose-dependent manner, believed to be related to a reduction in cardiovascular disease risk.
[20] An eight-week program of brisk walking resulted in a 50% increase in brachial artery FMD in middle-aged and older men, but failed to produce this benefit in estrogen-deficient post-menopausal women.