Impact of Diet on Cardiovascular Diseases: Coronary Artery Disease Risk Factors

Coronary artery disease is a leading cause of morbidity and mortality in the world. It is estimated that a large majority of coronary artery disease can be prevented by following healthy lifestyles. Healthy lifestyles are also linked to favorable changes in modifiable risk factors. These include hypertension, diabetes mellitus, dyslipidemia, and obesity. Since atherosclerosis starts in childhood, major lifestyle changes should be initiated at an early age. Modification of the diet is especially important at this age. Data accumulated from several meta-analyses indicate that a plant-based diet rich in fruits and vegetables, whole grains, legumes, nuts, and polyunsaturated fats are heart-healthy. On the other hand, diets rich in red meat, especially processed red meat, saturated fats, sodium, refined carbohydrates, and sugar-sweetened beverages are heart unhealthy. The role of the Mediterranean diet, DASH diet, and the vegetarian diet is also important in reducing the burden of coronary artery disease. This manuscript complements the three-part series on diet and coronary artery disease published earlier.