ABSTRACT
Despite the decline in cardiovascular disease in the U.S. and other western countries in the last 20 years, mortality from cardiovascular disease still remains the number one cause of death. The high incidence of cardiovascular disease in these societies has been blamed on the Western lifestyle, with a diet often cited as one of the most impacting factors. However, it is important to keep in mind that there are numerous types of cardiovascular disease that afflict humans and the influence of nutrition will vary in the development and treatment of these various disorders. The type of cardiovascular disease most often associated with diet is atherosclerosis, which is the build-up of lipid deposits, connective tissue proteins, and mineral complexes within the wall of coronary arteries. This build-up is often referred to as plaque and the initiation of its development can begin very early in life and progress for decades. For instance, while the complications associated with advanced atherosclero sis may not be observed until the waning decades of the human life-span, autopsies on 10to 14-year-old children have revealed fatty streaks, which are the earliest appreciable sign of developing atherosclerosis. Thus, atherosclerosis should be viewed as a progress rather than a more acute condition.
