Despite improvements in death rates from cardiovascular disease (CVD) around the world, CVD remains a leading cause of death and ill health in the UK, where death rates are amongst the highest in the world. Reducing death rates from this disease remains high on the Government’s agenda, yet attention to the classical risk factors may not provide all the answers.
CVD is a multi-factorial disease, which arises out of interactive effects of different combinations of risk factors. The major classical markers of CVD risk, including high blood pressure, high blood cholesterol levels and smoking, have been well recognised for a number of years. But in recent years a number of other ‘novel’ risk markers have emerged, and understanding of the physiology of and risk factors for heart disease has progressed. The British Nutrition Foundation Task Force Report, launched today, considers these emerging risk markers and in particular their relationship to diet.
A better understanding of the impact of diet on these may help to identify new ways of determining those at risk and provide additional approaches to prevent and treat the condition. Professor Keith Frayn from the University of Oxford, Chairman of the Task Force, said ‘this timely and comprehensive report provides an authoritative and independent account of the relationship between diet and the emerging risk factors for cardiovascular disease. It will be of use to policy makers, health professionals, the food industry, students of health related subjects and the media’.