Dietetic approaches in prevention and treatment of cardiovascular diseases

Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) are responsible for 30% of all death causes worldwide, and according to the World Health Organization predictions this negative trend will be continued further on. CVDs include diseases related to macro and microvascular system. There are numerous underlying risk factors, but the biggest emphasis is on those that can be modified and therefore lower the incidence of CVD, its complications, and causative morbidity and mortality due to CVDs. This is especially related to hypertension, hyperlipidemias, smoking, increased body mass, diagnosis of type 2 diabetes, and inadequate level of physical activity and unfavourable dietary habits. The last two are the mostly highlighted and all preventive measures and actions go in that direction. From the aspect of diet, high intake of fats in total, and especially saturated and trans fats, high intake of salt, and high intake of simple carbohydrates, i.e. refined carbohydrates present the backbone of unfavourable dietary habits responsible for rising global problem of CVDs. World’s, European’s as well as the national’s guidelines for prevention and treatment of CVDs contain specific guidelines aiming at the abovementioned aspects. Several dietary approaches arise from these guidelines, but the Mediterranean diet positioned itself as the most optimal for its centuries-old reputation. The other thing is that the Mediterranean diet contains all of the principles set by guidelines, and has another important aspects - the aspects of cultural, sociological, and quality-of-life aspect. Mediterranean diet was and has remained the most frequently researched dietary principle, not only across the Mediterranean, but in countries with non-Mediterranean populations. All of these researches have proven its beneficial impact that goes well beyond the impact on CVDs