ACC Prevention Council Perspective Aims to Debunk Nutrition Myths

A review of nutrition studies intends to cut through the confusion about the best dietary patterns to reduce heart disease. Current evidence strongly supports eating plenty of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, legumes, and nuts in moderation, according to a Council Perspective published Feb. 27 in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology and authored by ACC’s Prevention of Cardiovascular Disease Council. Although more controversial, some heart-healthy diets may also include very limited quantities of lean meat, fish, low-fat and nonfat dairy products, and liquid vegetable oils.

“There is a great amount of misinformation about nutrition fads, including antioxidant pills, juicing and gluten-free diets,” said Andrew Freeman, MD, FACC, a member of the Council. “However, there are a number of dietary patterns that have clearly been demonstrated to reduce the risk of many chronic diseases, including coronary heart disease.”


 Other nutrition topics in the perspective include:


The Council also addressed why there can be confusion surrounding nutrition studies. According to Freeman, many of these studies are funded and/or influenced by the food industry and may have some bias. “In addition, it’s very hard to separate the effects of specific nutrients in a food. For example, an apple contains many components including proteins, vitamins and fiber,” he said.

Many people who eat a healthy diet also have other healthy lifestyle behaviors, such as regular physical activity, getting enough sleep, and not smoking, and it can be hard to pinpoint the diet’s effect separate from these other behaviors. “And some nutrition studies tend to be based on surveys that rely on people’s memories of what they ate, which isn’t always reliable,” Freeman said.

“The founder of modern medicine, Hippocrates, said, ‘Let food be thy medicine,’” Freeman said. “But the vast majority of doctors have little nutrition training. If we can get doctors, and especially cardiologists, to understand the value of nutrition in medical practice, we can have a greater impact on reducing heart disease, and it is certainly cost-effective.”

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