Nutrition and Cardiovascular Disease

The major cardiovascular diseases affecting the developed world have at their core atherosclerosis and hypertension, both of which are profoundly affected by diet and can be approached, at least in part, from a nutritional point of view, as can the increasing “epidemic” of obesity. Diet is a multi-component mixture of many nutrients, which may interact with one another. The definitive study of nutrients and their impact on cardiovascular disease can be a daunting enterprise. Many dietary risk factors contribute to these diseases in various environmental and ethnic settings. These risk factors are often in evidence in youth so that preventive measures must be initiated early in life. Although most of the information about nutritional risk factors and cardiovascular disease derives from studies in the developed world, the situation is rapidly evolving toward epidemic proportions in the developing world where a major burden on the economy and health services will be imposed.A message from Dr. Mark Taubman, Editor in chiefThe following brief review is part of an international initiative, termed the “Global Theme Issue on Poverty and Human Development.” On October 22, 2007, at least 231 science journals throughout the world will simultaneously publish papers related to the topic of poverty and human development to raise awareness and stimulate research. These various papers will take the form of original research, review articles, editorials, perspectives, news stories, and other types of articles, with a common print or on-line release date of Monday, October 22, 2007. This date coincides with a “Global Theme Issue” event, sponsored by the Fogarty International Center, the National Library of Medicine, and the Council of Science Editors, held on the campus of the US National Institutes of Health to promote the Global Theme Issue and to highlight some of the articles published. In keeping with the spirit of this international event, the Editors of Arteriosclerosis, Thrombosis, and Vascular Biology asked Dr. Godfrey S. Getz, an internationally-recognized authority on atherosclerosis and nutrition, to write a brief review on this subject. We present this excellent review as a cautionary tale of the potential danger that can befall populations “emerging” from poverty. The availability to such populations of relatively inexpensive, high caloric, but atherogenic foods may provide the cure for a variety of “deficiency” diseases associated with poverty, but may also i