Unhealthy diet: A preventable risk factor of cardiovascular disease

This paper reviews articles and clinical trial evidence regarding diet for cardiovascular disease (CVD) prevention. Background. CVD is rapidly becoming a primary cause of death worldwide. Thus، identification of dietary changes that most effectively prevent CVD is necessary. This review was conducted by searching out electronic databases and hand searching of library resources. Searching out articles and research projects was conducted by using keywords on the internet and relevant sites. According to the findings، at least 3 dietary strategies are effective in preventing CVD: substituting non-hydrogenated unsaturated fats for saturated and trans-fats; increasing consumption of omega-3 fatty acids from fish، fish oil supplements، or plant sources; and consuming a diet high in fruits، vegetables، nuts، and whole grains and low in refined grain products. According to the current evidence، diets using non-hydrogenated unsaturated fats as the main form of dietary fat، whole grains as the main form of carbohydrates، an abundance of fruits and vegetables، and adequate omega-3 fatty acids can offer significant protection against CVD. Such diets، along with regular physical activity، avoidance of smoking، and maintenance of ideal body weight may prevent the majority of cardiovascular disease.