Dietary Approaches to Cardiovascular Disease Prevention

Overview

Diet significantly influences cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk, with suboptimal diets contributing to over 1.5 million CVD deaths in the WHO European Region in 2019. Evidence supports plant-based dietary patterns like the Mediterranean and DASH diets, reduced ultra-processed food intake, and organic food consumption as beneficial for CVD prevention.

Background

Cardiovascular disease remains a leading cause of mortality globally, with diet playing a pivotal role in modulating cardiometabolic risk factors. Recent studies highlight the impact of specific dietary patterns, food groups, and individual food components on CVD burden. Understanding these relationships is critical for developing effective dietary guidelines and interventions to reduce CVD incidence and mortality.

Data Highlights

Ultra-processed food intake highest quartile associated with 19% increased cardiovascular mortality risk (HR 1.19; 95% CI 1.09–1.29).

High Mediterranean diet adherence linked to 28–59% reduced subclinical carotid atherosclerosis plaque probability in men.

Each 6-point increment in organic food consumption score associated with 6% lower risk of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease.

Maternal dairy protein intake inversely associated with hypertension risk post-pregnancy (HR 0.76; 95% CI 0.65–0.89), while red meat protein intake positively associated (HR 1.27; 95% CI 1.07–1.50).

Key Findings

• Suboptimal diets caused 1.55 million CVD deaths in the WHO European Region in 2019, with low whole grains, low legumes, and high sodium as major contributors.
• Plant-based dietary patterns such as the Mediterranean, DASH, and vegetarian diets provide cardioprotective benefits by emphasizing fresh fruits, vegetables, and minimizing ultra-processed foods, sugar, and saturated fat.
• High consumption of ultra-processed foods increases cardiovascular mortality risk by 19% after adjusting for confounders.
• Organic food consumption is associated with a lower incidence of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease, particularly organic eggs and cereals.
• Maternal intake of dairy protein during pregnancy reduces the risk of hypertension within 10 years postpartum, whereas red meat protein intake increases this risk.
• Individual dietary compounds like dicarbonyls may have complex associations with CVD risk, with some evidence suggesting higher intake correlates with lower non-fatal CVD risk.

Clinical Implications

Clinicians should encourage adherence to plant-based dietary patterns such as the Mediterranean or DASH diets to reduce CVD risk. Reducing ultra-processed food consumption and promoting organic food intake may offer additional cardiovascular benefits. Attention to maternal nutrition, particularly increasing dairy protein and limiting red meat during pregnancy, could help mitigate future hypertension risk in mothers.

Conclusion

Dietary quality profoundly impacts cardiovascular health, with evidence supporting plant-based diets, reduced ultra-processed foods, and organic food consumption for CVD prevention. Integrating these dietary strategies into clinical practice can help reduce the global burden of cardiovascular disease.

References

1. Pörschmann et al. 2024 -- Cardiovascular mortality attributable to dietary risk factors in 54 countries in the WHO European Region
2. Marques-Vidal et al. 2024 -- Diet and nutrition in cardiovascular disease prevention: a scientific statement
3. Gauci et al. 2024 -- Exposure to ultra-processed food and risk of cardiovascular mortality: a prospective cohort study
4. Almevall et al. 2024 -- Midlife Mediterranean diet is associated with subclinical carotid atherosclerosis
5. Andersen et al. 2024 -- Organic food consumption and the incidence of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease
6. Øyen et al. 2024 -- Maternal intake of dietary protein and development of hypertension after pregnancy