According to the American Heart Association, over 1 million Americans have heart attacks each year, and a third of them die as a result. Even though mortality from heart disease has declined over the past 50 years, it remains the No. 1 cause of death in the United States. This health burden has been largely attributed to a Western diet that is rich in saturated fat, salt, sugars and empty calories.
Modifiable Risk Factors
The American Heart Association has identified a variety of risk factors that increase a person's chances of having a heart attack. Among these are several conditions that are either directly or indirectly linked to diet. High blood pressure, being overweight or obese, high blood cholesterol and diabetes mellitus are all diet-related problems that can be partially or completely ameliorated by changes in lifestyle.
Dietary Factors
The dietary factors that raise one's chances of having a heart attack include excessive caloric consumption, high salt intake, drinking too much alcohol and the presence of fats and refined sugars in the diet. Too much salt has been shown to increase the risk of high blood pressure. Excessive alcohol intake poses a similar risk. Saturated and trans fats, or what many people call "animal fats," tend to raise cholesterol levels and contribute to hardening of the arteries. Refined sugars, especially high-fructose corn syrup, have been tied to metabolic syndrome, itself a risk factor for heart disease.
Salt
The AHA recommends that Americans eat no more than 1,500 mg, or around ¾ tsp., of salt daily. Unfortunately, the amount of sodium currently found in the U.S. food supply might make this difficult to achieve. AHA experts are working with government agencies and food manufacturers to reduce the salt that is added to foods, but these changes may not be realized for another decade. In the meantime, the association urges Americans to prepare their own meals without adding salt and to choose no-salt or low-salt alternatives when away from home.
Alcohol
While moderate alcohol consumption has been shown to elevate HDL cholesterol -- a desirable change -- too much alcohol can raise a person's blood pressure and triglyceride levels, both of which can harm the heart. The AHA recommends that men consume no more than two drinks daily, and women should have no more than one.
Fats
Fats come in different forms. Saturated fats, which are those that are usually solid at room temperature, and trans fats, which are a special form of fatty acid, both raise LDL cholesterol levels. LDL cholesterol is responsible for creating the plaques, or thickening, in arterial walls that leads to arteriosclerosis, or hardening of the arteries. The AHA's Nutrition Committee urges Americans to limit total fat intake to around 30 percent of total caloric intake, and most of this should be mono- or polyunsaturated fats, such as those found in nuts, fish, seeds and vegetable oils. Saturated fats should comprise less than 7 percent, and trans fats less than 1 percent, of total daily calories. Cholesterol intake should be limited to 300 mg daily.
Sugars
Until recently, the evidence tying refined sugars to heart disease was less compelling than it is for other dietary factors. However, some scientists now believe that sugar molecules cause inflammation that injures arterial walls, thus setting the stage for atherosclerosis. According to a 2004 study led by George A. Bray and published in the "American Journal of Clinical Nutrition," high-fructose corn syrup, a ubiquitous ingredient in American foodstuffs, is linked to the obesity epidemic and to metabolic syndrome, both of which are strongly associated with an increased risk for cardiovascular disease.
Special Diets
The AHA, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the United States Department of Agriculture provide a wealth of information for persons striving to reduce their risk of heart disease. However, some people may find it difficult to create a coherent plan from the data proffered by such organizations, and others who already have heart disease may seek a more intensive strategy. Heart-healthy diets and lifestyle recommendations are offered by a variety of individuals and organizations that specialize in managing heart disease. The Pritikin program, the Ornish diet, Dr. Caldwell Esselstyn's program and similar plans provide structured approaches for preventing and treating cardiovascular disease.
References
- American Heart Association: Heart Attack and Angina Statistics
- American Heart Association: Risk Factors and Coronary Heart Disease
- PubMed.gov: "Current Hypertension Reports"; The Role of High-Fructose Corn Syrup in Metabolic Syndrome and Hypertension
- American Heart Association; Sodium (Salt or Sodium Chloride)
- American Heart Association: Alcohol and Cardiovascular Disease
- "American Journal of Clinical Nutrition": Consumption of High-Fructose Corn Syrup in Beverages May Play a Role in the Epidemic of Obesity
