Diet, the protective bridge connecting nutrition and cardiovascular health: A review.

Cardiovascular Disease (CVD) is the leading cause of death globally, resulting in approximately 17.9 million deaths each year, which accounts for 32% of total deaths worldwide. Its pathogenesis involves the intricate interactions of genetic susceptibility, environmental factors, and lifestyle behaviors, among which smoking, hypertension, and hyperlipidemia are well-recognized core risk factors. In the field of nutritional research related to CVD, there has been a notable shift from focusing on individual nutrients to evaluating overall dietary patterns and their interactive effects with other health determinants. Based on this research paradigm shift, this review synthesizes the latest evidence regarding the roles and mechanisms of diet-related factors in CVD prevention and management, designing personalized dietary interventions by clarifying the cardiovascular protective mechanisms of these dietary factors, thereby supporting efforts to alleviate the global burden of CVD.