Connection Between Nutrition and Cardiovascular Diseases

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Cardiovascular disease

Cardiovascular disease is one of the many health problems around the globe.

There are many variations of this condition, manifested either in the heart muscle’s malfunctioning or in conditions associated with the blood vessels. These diseases are hazardous since mortality and morbidity are incredibly high.

This is especially evident in the case of cerebrovascular disease and coronary heart disease. The latter condition is observed in the case of partial or complete blockage of the blood vessels’ blood pathways due to the appearance of fatty deposits on their walls.

Such diseases are associated with severe pain in the vessels and chest, which only worsen in the absence of proper treatment.

World Health Organization Perspective

The importance of paying attention to this disease is emphasized not only by ordinary doctors but also by the World Health Organization. According to its research and reports, the number of patients with cardiovascular disease has been on the rise in recent years and is likely to continue to rise.

WHO draws a link between the increase in these conditions and the change in society’s lifestyle due to urbanization and globalization. The modern world inclines to a sedentary lifestyle due to the presence of the ability to perform many actions without leaving home. However, this lifestyle negatively affects many systems of the human body, including the cardiovascular system.

According to WHO forecasts, CHD is likely to be the largest cause of death in 2020 by up to 30 percent. In the absence of appropriate measures, this figure could rise to 55 percent. Such forecasts emphasize the extreme necessity of addressing this problem and searching for the fastest methods.

Global Public Health Burden

Thus, this problem is relevant both because of the severity of the disease itself and because of its spread. Combined with other factors such as the proliferation of sedentary lifestyles, this is a real burden on the health system.

Fortunately, public attention has recently been riveted on this issue, and many studies have been conducted to analyze these conditions. Studies show that cardiovascular disease is also linked to diabetes, obesity, and high blood pressure. Besides, several major risk factors have been identified, including nutrition.

Many studies confirm this connection’s existence, which leads to the need for a detailed analysis of this topic and the relationship between cardiovascular diseases and human diets. Consequently, additional study of this topic will allow more actively counteracting this epidemic, reducing its spread.

Dietary Patterns and CVD

Patterns of food intake, food groups, and micronutrients such as carbohydrates, fats, and proteins may cause risk factors for cardiovascular disease. This factor is confirmed by studies showing the dangers of eating a particular group of products.

For example, saturated fats and trans-fats increase the risk factor for cardiovascular disease, while polyunsaturated fats, on the contrary, reduce this risk.

Similarly, an association has been found between sodium and potassium intake, respectively increasing and decreasing the risk of developing these diseases.

Besides, some studies have raised the question of the relationship between specific dietary complexes designed specifically or developed historically, as in the Mediterranean diet, with an influence on risk factors.

The presence of a considerable number of studies specializing in specific aspects of this disease leads to the need for an evaluative methodological approach that includes a review of all factors associated with these conditions.

The Knowledge Gap

This study focuses on filling the knowledge gap regarding the relationship between nutrition and cardiovascular disease risk.

Although many studies are covering similar topics at the moment, their disadvantage is the focus on a particular aspect of nutrition. Research often focuses on one narrow topic, such as the impact of consumption of certain micronutrients, but does not consider the situation in general.

There is a need to reconcile these elements, forming the basis for recommendations for dietary interventions for both individuals and the general population. Besides, specific policies need to be developed to appeal to healthy nutrition recommendations to reduce the risk of morbidity and mortality.

These strategies can be implemented at the social level through public, social, and state programs promoting healthy eating and specific medical institutions.

Methodology

To achieve these goals, a literature review was carried out to analyze the current situation, identify gaps in knowledge, and obtain additional information that will create a basis for forming strategies.

In the search for information, such resources as ‘Google Scholar,’ ‘PubMed,’ ‘Science Direct’ were used since they are the most convenient and reliable means of finding relevant data.

The search used keywords directly related to the topics of health, nutrition, and heart disease: ‘Nutrition,’ ‘Cardiovascular disease,’ Coronary heart disease, ‘Dietary.’

Primarily attention was paid to medical journals related to nutrition and cardiovascular disease.

These search algorithms made it possible to identify 6 suitable elements, among which 4 are scientific articles, and 2 are official WHO reports.

Cardiovascular Disease Risk Factors

There are many risk factors associated with the development of the cardiovascular disease.

The main ones are factors related to a person’s lifestyle: frequent tobacco smoking, constant alcohol consumption, and harmful and unbalanced diets. Obesity is often a logical consequence of this lifestyle, although it can occur separately; it is also a risk factor for developing such conditions.

However, the list of elements is not limited to this, since cardiovascular diseases can be influenced not only by personal characteristics but also by social reasons, for example, poverty. According to WHO reports, more than half of people who die from these diseases are citizens of low or middle-income countries. Finally, a person may have a genetic predisposition, having a weak cardiovascular system.

Although not all factors can be quickly corrected, it is necessary to draw public attention to diet issues, trying to change the population’s behavior.

Contemporary Nutrition Transition

One of the reasons for the current spread of cardiovascular diseases is the change in human nutrition. The composition of the menu changes due to technological progress, urbanization, economic growth, and the accelerating life pace.

Because people don’t have much time to prepare quality food, they consume foods rich in protein and fat for maximum energy. Simultaneously, fruits and vegetables, which are critical sources of vitamins and trace elements, are often not included in the diet. This phenomenon is most observed in urbanized areas with a high pace of life. This attitude to diet leads to an increased risk of obesity, which, in turn, is one of the main risk factors for the development of cardiovascular disease.

Therefore, evidence-based education is needed to spread awareness of the importance of consuming vegetables and fruits and the potential dangers of consistently consuming fast food.

Diet and Cardiovascular Diseases

Previous research has mainly focused on mapping the relationship between specific foods and micronutrients consumed and disease risk factors. However, such a particular study may not be accurate enough, as some products are fully disclosed only with some interaction with each other. In other words, it is also necessary to consider the entire person’s diet in general, identifying the impact of specific dietary approaches on human health.

For example, in this context, the Mediterranean diet can be considered, which has been shown to reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease.

On the other hand, research shows the negative impact of protein-rich diets. While these eating styles provide a lot of energy for a person, they pose additional risk factors for disease.

Therefore, it is necessary to emphasize the importance of specific products and whole-food complexes.

Conclusion

Thus, the studies analyzed highlight three main points related to cardiovascular disease and nutrition.

Lifestyle directly affects the risk of developing cardiovascular disease. This definition includes both bad habits, such as smoking and alcoholism, and excessive consumption of junk food, leading to obesity. Besides, there are influences from outside factors such as poverty that also need to be addressed.
The disease’s current spread is mainly due to technological and economic progress, which accelerates the pace of life, pushing people towards unhealthy diets based on proteins and fats. This is also why the reduced consumption of fruits and vegetables must be corrected by disseminating information about their usefulness.
Cardiovascular diseases are influenced not only by individual components but also by nutritional complexes in general. Therefore, it is especially important to form healthy diets based on existing ones, for example, the Mediterranean diet.

This information allows the development of information and medical strategies for implementation both at the personal and global levels.

References

Estruch, R., Ros, E., Salas-Salvadó, J., Covas, M. I., Corella, D., Arós, F.,… & Lamuela-Raventos, R. M. (2013). Primary prevention of cardiovascular disease with a Mediterranean diet. New England Journal of Medicine, 368(14), 1279-1290.

Bibbins-Domingo, K., Chertow, G. M., Coxson, P. G., Moran, A., Lightwood, J. M., Pletcher, M. J., & Goldman, L. (2010). Projected effect of dietary salt reductions on future cardiovascular disease. New England journal of medicine, 362(7), 590-599.

Mozaffarian, D. (2016). Dietary and policy priorities for cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and obesity: a comprehensive review. Circulation, 133(2), 187-225.

Liu, X. M., Liu, Y. J., Huang, Y., Yu, H. J., Yuan, S., Tang, B. W.,… & He, Q. Q. (2017). Dietary total flavonoids ntake and risk of mortality from all causes and cardiovascular disease in the general population: A systematic review and meta‐analysis of cohort studies. Molecular nutrition & food research, 61(6), 1601003.

Mendis, S., Puska, P. & Norrving, B. (2011). Global Atlas on Cardiovascular disease prevention and control, World Health Organisation in collaboration with World Heart Federation and World Stroke Organisation, Geneva Switzerland.

WHO expert consultation. (2011). Waist circumference and waist-hip ratio, WHO press, Geneva Switzerland.

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