Cardiovascular diseases, such as hypertension, stroke and coronary heart disease, are one of the main causes of impaired health and longevity.Many of the risk factors for cardiovascular disease are associated with an unhealthy lifestyle, such as unhealthy diet, insufficient physical activity and smoking. Interventions to improve diet have been shown in several studies to be effective in preventing cardiovascular disease. The American Academy of Preventive Cardiology has released 10 dietary recommendations for healthier hearts and blood vessels.
In March 2022, the American Society for Preventive Cardiology published online Practical, Evidence-based Approaches to Nutritional Improvement to Reduce Atherosclerotic Cardiovascular Disease: The American Society for Preventive Cardiology Clinical Practice Statement, which set out 10 nutritional principles for preventing cardiovascular disease.
According to the statement, 90% of cardiovascular disease worldwide can be attributed to nine modifiable risk factors:
dyslipidaemia.
smoking.
hypertension.
diabetes.
Abdominal obesity.
Social psychological factor.
Low fruit and vegetable consumption.
Drink alcohol.
Lack of physical activity.
Therefore, the key way to prevent cardiovascular disease is the need to “maintain a healthy lifestyle throughout life”. When it comes to diet, the statement offers 10 tips.
Tip 1: There is an optimal diet to prevent cardiovascular disease, and remember to eat six small portions.
According to the Statement, there is an optimal diet for preventing cardiovascular disease. A diet rich in fruits, vegetables, legumes, nuts, seeds, vegetable proteins, and fatty fish is recommended as the best diet for preventing atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease.
In particular, watch out for the “six small meals” : less processed meat, less saturated fat, less trans fat, less cholesterol, less salt, and less refined carbohydrates.
The optimal diet can be achieved by following the Mediterranean diet, the DASH diet, vegetarian and plant-based dietary patterns.
Tip 2: Try to use unsaturated fats instead of saturated fats.
Substituting unsaturated fats (polyunsaturated fats, monounsaturated fats) for saturated fats as much as possible and reducing dietary cholesterol intake while increasing the consumption of foods rich in dietary fiber, especially those rich in soluble dietary fiber, will help lower levels of low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) and apolipoprotein B, the Statement suggested.
Oils high in polyunsaturated fatty acids: including soybean oil, sunflower oil, corn oil, etc.
Oils high in monounsaturated fatty acids: such as olive and tea seed oil.
Oil with more saturated fatty acids: such as palm oil, lard and other animal oils, cream, etc., should be consumed as little as possible.
Tip 3: Don’t eat too much salt. Too much sodium kills 3 million people worldwide each year.
Too much sodium kills 3 million people worldwide every year. There is a direct correlation between dietary sodium intake and blood pressure, and reducing sodium intake can help lower blood pressure.
The DASH diet has been shown to reduce the risk of hypertension, diabetes and heart failure, and to slow the progression of atherosclerosis. In hypertensive patients, following the DASH diet was found to be associated with a decrease in systolic and diastolic blood pressure of 11.4 mmHg and 5.5 mmHg, respectively.
The DASH diet emphasizes eating more fruits, vegetables, legumes, nuts, fish, lean protein, low-fat dairy products, less processed meat, red meat, and sweets, and limiting saturated fat and sodium.
Recommendation 4: Control your weight. Obesity and diabetes are both risk factors for cardiovascular disease.
Obesity and type 2 diabetes are both risk factors for the development and progression of cardiovascular disease. Therefore, preventing weight gain and obesity is the key to preventing type 2 diabetes. If weight loss and weight management are effective, the progression of type 2 diabetes can be delayed.
A number of dietary factors and patterns are associated with a reduced risk of type 2 diabetes. Globally, 24.7% of diabetes deaths and 34.9% of disability-adjusted life years are attributable to unhealthy diets. Following the flexitarian diet, Mediterranean diet or DASH diet can significantly reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes.
Tip 5: Eat less refined grains, processed meats and more healthy foods.
The importance of a healthy diet in preventing obesity and type 2 diabetes has been well documented. Weight gain in adulthood is mainly due to an increase in fat mass, which is associated with poor eating habits. Follow the principles of a healthy diet with fewer chips, chips, refined grains, processed meats, red meat, and sugary drinks, and more yogurt, fruits, whole grains, legumes, fish, and nuts. Will help manage and lose weight and reduce the risk of obesity and type 2 diabetes.
Tip 6: Remember! Do not mess with all kinds of supplements, health products.
Numerous studies have shown that multivitamin supplements do not reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease, the statement said. In addition, some dietary supplements, such as antioxidant compounds and niacin, may also increase the risk of cardiovascular disease; Calcium supplements, especially in larger doses and when not taken with vitamin D, may increase the risk of cardiovascular disease.
Therefore, the statement does not recommend that people take dietary supplements to prevent cardiovascular disease. If you have to take it, it should be done under the guidance of a doctor to avoid adverse effects caused by self-use.
Recommendation 7: Prevention of atherosclerosis begins in childhood.
Preventive measures for atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease should start early and “start early”. Although adverse cardiovascular outcomes usually do not appear until middle age, risk factors for atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease can occur during childhood and adolescence.
The statement emphasizes that the primary prevention of atherosclastic cardiovascular disease should begin in childhood by increasing the consumption of fruits, vegetables, whole grains and a variety of foods rich in eggs that prevent white matter from childhood (e.g. legumes, nuts, seeds, seafood) and gradually establishing healthy, nutrient-rich dietary patterns through small changes. To reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease.
Recommendation eight: The elderly should pay more attention to nutrition, pay more attention to medical nutrition treatment.
Medical nutritional treatments can provide health benefits throughout the life cycle, even for older adults with medical conditions. The deterioration of oral and dental health in older people as a result of aging, as well as changes in neurological function, will affect chewing, swallowing and taste functions, resulting in nutrient deficiencies such as protein and micronutrient deficiencies.
The Statement recommends that, where appropriate, the elderly may consider taking specialty foods or supplements to obtain adequate nutrition; Or by changing the texture, shape and taste characteristics of food to ensure the intake of foods that contribute to cardiovascular health.
Recommendation 9: Recommend doctors or dietitians to develop appropriate dietary interventions for patients.
The statement suggested that doctors or dietitians should fully take into account social factors when formulating dietary interventions to develop appropriate dietary interventions for patients.
Recommendation 10: Multi-disciplinary collaboration to better control cardiovascular disease risk.
Medical nutrition therapy, in collaboration with registered dietitians, can promote the implementation of healthy eating patterns, effectively improve diet quality, promote conscious weight loss, improve blood sugar, glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c), blood lipids and blood pressure, and significantly reduce risk factors for cardiovascular disease, the statement said. Multidisciplinary collaboration and joint interventions should be encouraged to better reduce cardiovascular disease risk.
