Diet and CVD

May 2007

Your heart is what you eat

• Diet is a significant modifiable risk factor for cardiovascular disease (CVD).¹
• An unhealthy diet is high in saturated fats, salt and refined carbohydrates and low in fruits and vegetables.²

Changes in eating

• Diets are sweeter and have a higher calorie intake than ever before.³
• In low and middle income countries, the effect of changing diets, or the nutrition transition as some experts describe it, has been to precipitate a rise in the prevalence of CVD.

Fat

• A diet high in saturated fats and trans fats leads to abnormal levels of fats in the blood, a risk factor for CVD.¹
• Saturated fats are found in animal products. Trans fats are oils that have been hydrogenated to turn them into semi-hard fats; they adversely alter the fat levels in the blood.²
• Saturated fats should be replaced with unsaturated, polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats, which are beneficial for heart health.² Olive and canola oils and nuts are sources of monosaturated oils.² Soybean and sunflower oils are sources of polyunsaturated fat.²
• The essential fatty acids omega-3 and omega-6 are found in oily fish, nuts and seeds and actually protect the heart.²
• The human body cannot make omega-3 and -6 acids so they must be consumed.¹
• Saturated fat intake should not exceed 10% of total energy and for high-risk groups, like people with diabetes, total saturated fat intake should be 7% or less of total energy.² Total fat intake should not be greater than 30% of total calories consumed.²

Salt

• A diet high in salt increases the risk of developing high blood pressure, a risk for CVD.  
• A universal reduction of about 3g of salt a day would lead to a 50% reduction in the number of people needing treatment for high blood pressure.² 
• A universal reduction of 3g of salt a day would lead to a 22% drop in the number of deaths resulting from strokes and a 16% fall in the number of deaths from coronary heart disease (CHD).²

Fruits and vegetables

• Low fruit and vegetable intake accounts for about 20% of cardiovascular disease worldwide.²
• Adults should consume at least 500g of fresh fruit and vegetables a day² or 5 to 7 portions a day.

Nuts

• Eating nuts regularly is associated with decreased risk of CHD.²
• Nuts are high in unsaturated fatty acids, low in saturated fats and improve the fat levels in the blood.²
• Nuts are an energy dense food source and must be eaten as part of a balanced diet.²

Wholegrain cereals

• Whole grains have dietary fibre that has a positive effect of blood fat levels, lowering the risk of CHD.²

Fish

• Where fish consumption is high there is a reduced risk of death from CVD.²
• Eat 1 to 2 servings of fish a week as part of a heart protective diet.²