ABSTRACT
With the growing understanding of the parts played by nutritional factors in relation to cardiovascular diseases, many versions of dietary guidelines have been devised in order to prevent these diseases. The underlying principle in the formulation of the guidelines is the need to determine optimal nutrient intakes for different groups in the population. Compliance with traditional dietary guidelines that usually emphasize restrictions in fat intake has been poor. There is now a growing awareness that a wide range of nutrients should be considered. As more risk factors are identified, their dietary determinants need to be investigated so that they can be included when recommendations are issued to the public. This chapter will present evidence connecting folate intake with homocysteine, one of the newly identified risk factors for cardiovascular disease.
