Heart smart: From fads to facts in promoting cardiovascular health through nutrition

Cardiovascular disease is currently the leading cause of mortality, causing roughly one third of deaths worldwide. Diet impacts the prevention and management of CVD through risk factor modification of factors such as weight, lipids, blood pressure, and diabetes. Many diets claim to be “heart healthy” or lower the risk of CVD by modifying risk factors, but not every diet is backed by evidence and safe for any patient. Global interest in dieting has increased, and there is growing interest in fad diets. Which diets have strong evidence of efficacy and safety for improving cardiovascular health and preventing cardiovascular disease in the general population?