Introduction
Cardiovascular diseases (CVD) are a significant problem requiring the development of an effective strategy to improve patient outcomes. One approach is dietary education to improve CVD management. This topic is quite common in research, as it has excellent potential in leveling the risk factors for CVDs, improving patient outcomes, and raising public health.
This literature review aims to analyze and compare previous studies on the effect of food and its components on the development of cardiovascular disease in patients and reducing the risk of complications. Reviewed articles are based on different methods and approaches to research and analyze the topic from various angles, which makes it possible to consider the problem and make recommendations for further research comprehensively.
Literature Review
Research Questions
Each of the reviewed articles presents different research questions. They differ mainly in the topic specification and the scope of the studies. Several articles take an integrated approach to analyzing eating behaviors and habits for CVD risks (Brandhorst & Longo, 2019; Chareonrungrueangchai et al., 2020; Cho et al., 2021). These studies help better understand the impact of nutrition and the elements contained in food on the human cardiovascular system.
Other researchers are more precise in formulating their research questions and choose a more specific and narrow topic. This approach most often consists of analyzing the effect of a particular diet on the development of CVDs in initially healthy individuals or patients with a predisposition. For example, Hemler and Hu (2019) evaluate the cardiovascular risks of a plant-based diet. Li et al. (2020) focus on studying the association between inflammatory food intake and potential risks of cardiovascular disease. In addition, Delgado-Lista et al. (2022) analyze the difference in the effect of famous Mediterranean and low-fat diets on cardiovascular health. Shan et al. (2020) assess the impact of healthy eating patterns on the risk of developing cardiovascular disease. Moreover, one of the goals of this study was to define healthy eating, which is a topic of many things that could be improved.
Finally, some researchers have not focused on specific dietary habits and patterns but have narrowed the research topic by selecting a specific cardiovascular disorder. For example, Xu et al. (2021) studied the effect of different eating patterns on blood pressure rate and related diseases. Thus, all the reviewed articles have quite different research questions, contributing to a deeper understanding of the problem and providing a basis for finding optimal solutions.
Sample Populations
Different study designs among the reviewed articles make comparing their sample populations more difficult. Some of the studies are a review of previous studies on the impact of nutrition on cardiovascular performance (Brandhorst & Longo, 2019; Chareonrungrueangchai et al., 2020; Hemler & Hu, 2019; Xu et al., 2021). Prior studies, clinical trials, and patient records were selected and analyzed for each of these articles. This approach made it possible to systematize the existing developments in this area and determine the course for further research.
Other reviewed studies used a sample of participants to conduct action studies and focus groups. A study by Cho et al. (2021) involved 12,683 people over 20 years old with cerebrovascular and cardiovascular diseases. Delgado-Lista et al. (2022) selected 1002 patients with ischemic heart disease to conduct a randomized controlled study. At the same time, studies by Li et al. (2020) and Shan et al. (2020) took part in people without diagnosed CVDs, which helped to establish the positive or negative effect of certain foods on the state of the cardiovascular system. Therefore, all researchers used different approaches to study design and selection of sample populations. This diversity contributes to a comprehensive understanding of the relationship between nutrition and CVDs, considering various factors.
Limitations of the Studies
Each analyzed study had certain limitations that influenced the results and can serve as a direction for further research. For example, articles based on reviews of earlier studies often reached rather broad conclusions due to differences in the selected literature (Chareonrungrueangchai et al., 2020). In addition, reviews often need to provide new information about the research topic but only systematize existing data (Brandhorst & Longo, 2019; Hemler & Hu, 2019).
In addition, in a study by Li et al. (2020), participants provided information on eating behavior that has not been verified, which may affect objectivity and truthfulness. A comparison of two types of diets by Delgado-Lista et al. (2022) is limited by geography as it was conducted among participants who are more familiar with the Mediterranean diet, which may skew the results. Cho et al. (2021) limited their analysis by focusing on patients with cerebrovascular disease, and Xu et al. (2021) limited their focus on blood pressure and ignoring larger changes. Finally, in a study by Shan et al. (2020), many participants became limited, so some individual dietary habits should have been addressed.
Conclusion and Recommendations for Further Research
In conclusion, the review of these eight studies related to the influence of eating behavior and habits on the development of cardiovascular diseases contributed to a deeper understanding of the topic. The data presented in each article helps to understand different aspects of this problem and identify diets that can be effectively adapted for patients at risk of CVDs. However, it is essential to conduct further research in this direction, which could consider patients’ individual characteristics when choosing a nutrition plan. Due to this, dietary education of patients could become more effective and have a more positive impact on the management of CVDs.
References
Brandhorst, S., & Longo, V. D. (2019). Dietary restrictions and nutrition in the prevention and treatment of cardiovascular disease. Circulation Research, 124(6), 952-965. Web.
Chareonrungrueangchai, K., Wongkawinwoot, K., Anothaisintawee, T., & Reutrakul, S. (2020). Dietary factors and risks of cardiovascular diseases: An umbrella review. Nutrients, 12(4), 1088-1106. Web.
Cho, I. Y., Lee, K. M., Lee, Y., Paek, C. M., Kim, H. J., Kim, J. Y., Lee, K., Han, J. S., & Bae, W. K. (2021). Assessment of dietary habits using the diet quality index—International in cerebrovascular and cardiovascular disease patients. Nutrients, 13(542), 542. Web.
Delgado-Lista, J., Alcala-Diaz, J. F., Torres-Peña, J. D., Quintana-Navarro, G. M., Fuentes, F., Garcia-Rios, A., & Visioli, F. (2022). Long-term secondary prevention of cardiovascular disease with a Mediterranean diet and a low-fat diet (CORDIOPREV): A randomised controlled trial. The Lancet, 399(10338), 1876-1885. Web.
Hemler, E. C., & Hu, F. B. (2019). Plant-based diets for cardiovascular disease prevention: All plant foods are not created equal. Current Atherosclerosis Reports, 21, 1-8. Web.
Li, J., Lee, D. H., Hu, J., Tabung, F. K., Li, Y., Bhupathiraju, S. N., Rimm, E. B., Rexrode, K. M., Manson, J. A., & Hu, F. B. (2020). Dietary inflammatory potential and risk of cardiovascular disease among men and women in the US. Journal of the American College of Cardiology, 76(19), 2181-2193. Web.
Shan, Z., Li, Y., Baden, M. Y., Bhupathiraju, S. N., Wang, D. D., Sun, Q. I., Rexrode, K. M., Rimm, S. N., & Hu, F. B. (2020). Association between healthy eating patterns and risk of cardiovascular disease. JAMA Internal Medicine, 180(8), 1090-1100. Web.
Xu, H., Guo, B., Qian, W., Ciren, Z., Guo, W., Zeng, Q., Mao, D., Xiao, X., Wu., J., Wang, X., & Zhao, X. (2021). Dietary pattern and long-term effects of particulate matter on blood pressure: A large cross-sectional study in Chinese adults. Hypertension, 78(1), 184-194. Web.