Running head: NUTRITION AND CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASE

The Effect of Nutrition on Cardiovascular Disease

And Related Chronic Illnesses
Bret Gashler
Salt Lake Community College

NUTRITION AND CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASE

The Effect of Nutrition on Cardiovascular Disease

And Related Chronic Illnesses
Cardiovascular disease is one of the most common health complications in the
American population, and accounts for a large number of deaths worldwide.

Also

known as heart disease, cardiovascular diseases are mainly caused by atherosclerosis,

a process that can eventually lead to life-threatening events or conditions like heart
attacks, strokes, heart failure, and cardiac arrhythmias. Diet, weight control, proper
nutrition, and physical activity are all proven contributing factors to many major chronic
diseases such as cardiovascular disease and its related conditions and complications.
While genetic predisposition to cardiovascular disease plays a role, overall health
status, environmental and lifestyle habits like diet choices and exercise routines can
largely affect the course of the disease.
Most cardiovascular diseases that are not solely caused by genetic defect begin
with atherosclerosis. The process of atherosclerosis occurs when plaque deposits and
builds up in blood vessels, occluding blood flow to the tissue supplied by the vessel.
The plaque that accumulates partly comes from the fat and cholesterol we consume in
our diet. Any blood vessel in the body can be affected by atherosclerosis and can thus
suffer the consequences of insufficient oxygen, nutrients, etc. (AHA, 2016).

When

tissue is deprived of oxygen and essential nutrients tissue death, also known as
ischemia, occurs in the surrounding area. Ischemia causes acute pain, as well as loss
of function in that particular tissue.

This condition is especially dangerous when

occurring in vital organs like the heart and the brain. When a blood clot is formed and
ischemia suddenly occurs in the heart it is known as a heart attack, or myocardial

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infarction; when clots occur in the brain and cause loss of blood flow it is referred to as
an ischemic stroke (NHLBI, 2016). Areas of the heart and/or brain are blocked from
receiving oxygen and cause serious damage if not resolved rapidly, resulting in heart
damage, pain, and even death.
Heart complications and cardiovascular diseases include both genetic and
environmental ties. Many individuals are predisposed to heart problems via heredity,
but further exacerbate the condition through lifestyle choices.

The risk for heart

disease can increase even more when heredity combines with unhealthy lifestyle
choices, such as smoking cigarettes and eating an unhealthy diet (CDC, 2015). If
those individuals with a strong family history of heart disease choose a diet loaded with
fats and simple sugars, and then neglect exercise, the chances of suffering
cardiovascular complications increase greatly.
Nutrition is a known contributing lifestyle factor to heart disease. Unhealthy diet
choices substantially increase risk for developing coronary artery disease and other
cardiovascular complications. The World Heart Federation states research makes it
clear that abnormal blood lipid (fat) levels have a strong correlation with the risk of
coronary artery disease, heart attack and coronary death. In turn, abnormal blood lipids
are related to what you eat. A diet high in saturated fats (e.g. cheese) and trans fats
(often used in cakes, cookies and fast food) leads to high levels of cholesterol (2016).
It is logical that increased dietary fat would contribute to high cholesterol and heart
disease because, as previously discussed, the excess fat/cholesterol in our diet is
eventually deposited as plaque in our arteries. Thus the greater amount of fat and
cholesterol we consume and do not use results in even more fat accumulation in the

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arteries around the heart and throughout the body that increases risk for heart disease,
heart attack, stroke, etc. Additionally, research published in the 2 nd edition of Disease
Control Priorities in Developing Countries concluded that reducing identified,
modifiable dietary and lifestyle risk factors could prevent most cases of CAD, stroke,
diabetes, and many cancers among high-income populations.... These findings are
profoundly important, because they indicate that these diseases are not inevitable
consequences of a modern society (Willet, Koplan, Nugent, Dusenbury, Puska, &
Goziano, 2006).

All evidence supports that modification of diet and lifestyle can

significantly contribute to increased or decreased risk of cardiovascular disease

dependent on choices of the individual, regardless of genetic predisposition.
Just as healthy diet choices can decrease negative effects and worsening
complications of existing heart disease, lifestyle improvements can also help prevent
cardiovascular disease. According to the American Heart Association (2016), primary
intervention strategies include good nutrition, lowering blood pressure and cholesterol,
maintaining good physical activity, limiting alcohol consumption, reducing stress,
managing diabetes and quitting smoking (if applicable). More specifically, The National
Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (2016) recommend reducing sodium in the diet,
avoiding drinks and foods high in sugars, consuming more vegetables and whole
grains, limiting fats and refined grains, choosing lean meats and fat-free/low fat dairy
products, and also decreasing alcohol consumption.
The American College of Cardiology conducted a 20-year research study in
which they tested the impact of unhealthy lifestyles on cardiovascular health outcomes
for nearly 90,000 women. The results proved statistically significant in connecting poor

NUTRITION AND CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASE

lifestyle choices to increased risk of cardiovascular disease.

Of the women being

followed that eventually developed heart disease, approximately 73% of CHD cases
were attributable to poor adherence to a healthy lifestyle. Similarly, 46% of clinical CVD
risk factor cases were attributable to a poor lifestyle (Chomistek, Chiuve, Eliassen,
Mukamal, Willett, & Rimm 2015).

Although it is impossible to say healthy lifestyle

choices completely prevent cardiovascular disease, this study is only one of many that
have proven diet, physical exercise, and avoiding environmental risk factors like
smoking and overconsumption of alcohol may substantially lower the burden of
cardiovascular disease (Chomistek et al., 2015).
According to the American Heart Association (2016), primary intervention
strategies to lower the risk of heart disease include good nutrition, lowering blood
pressure and cholesterol, maintaining good physical activity, limiting alcohol
consumption, reducing stress, managing diabetes and quitting smoking (if applicable).
More specifically, The National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (2016) recommend
reducing sodium in the diet, avoiding drinks and foods high in sugars, consuming more
vegetables and whole grains, limiting fats and refined grains, choosing lean meats and
fat-free/low fat dairy products, and also decreasing alcohol consumption
Diet improvements and physical activity are the primary recommended
prevention/improvement strategies, but there are also several pharmacological
interventions that can help lower the risk of severe cardiovascular complications like
heart attack or stroke. Beta blockers are some of the most commonly used drugs to
both lower risk of developing cardiovascular diseases and decrease complications from
any degree of existing heart disease (Boudonas, 2010). Beta blockers work to decrease

NUTRITION AND CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASE

the heart muscles need for oxygen, which in turn helps reduce high heart rate and
blood pressure that contributes to a risk of developing clots that lead to strokes and
heart attacks.
Cardiovascular disease is a chronic illness concern for me because of my family
history. My immediate family is all relatively healthy, and collectively there are very few
nutrition-related chronic illnesses that run through our family.

However, my

grandparents on both sides of my family have experienced mild to moderate

cardiovascular issues over the years, and my maternal grandmother even suffered a
heart attack. Both of my grandparents have also had a history of hypertension, which is
of course a major contributing factor to many other possible cardiovascular
complications.
My maternal grandfather has been able to normalize his blood pressures through
increased physical exercise and special attention to his diet by cutting out excess
sodium, fat, and quitting smoking. As mentioned, my maternal grandmother suffered a
heart attack several years ago, but has recovered without too much serious damage
amazingly enough.

She has made the necessary lifestyle changes to improve her

cardiovascular health and has successfully been able to avoid any recurring heart
problems or subsequent heart attacks.
My grandparents previous lifestyle and eating choices strongly support the
evidence from The World Health Organization that diets rich in red meats and in fatty,
salty, and sweet foods are correlated with an increased risk for heart disease (2016).
Before my grandmother had a heart attack, neither of my grandparents seemed to be
too concerned with their diagnosis of hypertension.

However, they both made

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noticeable changes and a much more concerted effort to live healthier lifestyles once
the severity of the possibilities became apparent. After my grandma was released from
the hospital my grandparents were determined to eat out less, cut down on sweets and
treats, and also make physical activity a priority in their daily routine. The changes in
both of them were noticeable, as they both seemed to have more energy, and reported
feeling better on a daily basis.
The American Heart Association confirms that both the risk of heart disease
and risk factors for heart disease are strongly linked to family history, (2016).

As

mentioned by the CDC, chronic illnesses with genetic links increase in severity and risk
through unhealthy lifestyle choices. However, because of the genetic connection to
heart disease in my immediate family, I have taken an even greater interest in
preventing these problems in myself through physical and environmental changes. I
consistently keep up my physical activity to maintain a healthy weight, and pay close
attention to the amount of fat in my diet. I eat sweets only occasionally and never
smoke or consume alcohol. I have also managed to maintain healthy blood lipid levels
and blood pressure.
Although my family history places me at some risk for cardiovascular disease, I
am confident that the measures I have taken to ensure my health have decreased my
risk factors and overall chances of heart attack, stroke, or various vascular diseases.
Knowing my family history risks and the research behind how nutrition and lifestyle
choices affect my chances of developing this chronic illness and others have made me
even more focused on and committed to my health.

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Works Cited
American Heart Association. What is Cardiovascular Disease? (2016). Retrived July 2,
2016, from
http://www.heart.org/HEARTORG/Caregiver/Resources/WhatisCardiovascularDis
ease/What-is-Cardiovascular-Disease_UCM_301852_Article.jsp#.V4epiksrK71
American Heart Association. Family History and Heart Disease, Stroke. (2016).
Retrieved July 10, 2016, from
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ly-History-and-Heart-Disease-Stroke_UCM_442849_Article.jsp#.V4fmO0srK70
Boudonas, G. E. (2010). National Center for Biotechnology Information. -Blockers in
coronary artery disease management. Hippokratia, 14(4), 231235. Retrieved
July 10, 2016, from http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3031314/
Center for Disease Control. Family History and Other Characteristics That Increase
Risk for Heart Disease. (2015, August 10). Retrieved July 7, 2016, from
http://www.cdc.gov/heartdisease/family_history.htm
Chomistek AK, Chiuve SE, Eliassen A, Mukamal KJ, Willett WC, Rimm EB. Healthy
Lifestyle in the Primordial Prevention of Cardiovascular Disease Among
Young Women. Journal of the American College of Cardiology. 2015;65(1):43-51.
Retrieved July 12, 2016, from doi:10.1016/j.jacc.2014.10.024.
http://content.onlinejacc.org/article.aspx?articleID=2087922
National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute. What Is Atherosclerosis? (2016, June 22).
Retrieved July 7, 2016, from http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/healthtopics/topics/atherosclerosis
National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute. How Is Heart Disease Treated? (2014, April).
Retrieved July 12, 2016, from https://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/healthtopics/topics/hdw/treatment
World Health Organization. Diet, nutrition and the prevention of chronic diseases
Report of the joint WHO/FAO expert consultation. (2016). Retrieved July 2, 2016,
from http://www.who.int/dietphysicalactivity/publications/trs916/summary/en/
Willett, W. C., Koplan, J. P., Nugent, R., Dusenbury, C., Puska, P., & Goziano, T. A.
(n.d.). Prevention of Chronic Disease by Means of Diet and Lifestyle Changes.
Retrieved July 7, 2014, from http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK11795/
World Heart Federation. Cardiovascular disease risk factors - Diet. (2016). Retrieved
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