Optimal dietary intake for cardiovascular risk reduction

Healthful dietary intake and physical activity are advocated as first-line prevention and treatment of many diseases. Dietary intake plays a major role in preventing and promoting the leading cause of death in the United States: cardiovascular disease. Despite continually growing evidence on the relationship between nutrition and cardiovascular risk, many Americans consume an atherogenic diet resulting in a proinflammatory and prothrombotic dysmetabolic state. Overconsumption of fat, sugar, and refined carbohydrates has led to overweight and obesity for most Americans and is associated with the increasing prevalence of cardiovascular risk factors, including type 2 diabetes mellitus, hypertension, and dyslipidemia. This article reviews the association between dietary intake and cardiovascular risk and summarizes optimal dietary intake for cardiovascular risk reduction.