Coronary Heart Disease: Nutritional Interventions for Prevention and Therapy

Diet plays a major role in the causation of coronary heart disease (CHD), which is a major cause of morbidity and mortality. Replacing saturated fat with polyunsaturated fats (PUFA) may help lower risk. Evidence suggests that increased consumption of fatty fish and of n-3 polyunsaturated fats (n-3 PUFA) is likely to reduce CHD risk. A high intake of salt, trans fats, processed meat, and added sugar is likely to increase CHD risk. Diets with a generous content of fruit, vegetables, and whole grain cereals are associated with lower risk of CHD. Adhering to a healthy overall dietary pattern such as the Mediterranean diet pattern reduces CHD risk. Maintaining a healthy weight and being physically active have each been shown to reduce CHD risk factors and actual risk of CHD.