Primary prevention of CVD: diet and weight loss.
BACKGROUND
Diet is an important cause of many chronic diseases. Individual change in behaviour has the potential to decrease the burden of chronic disease, particularly cardiovascular disease (CVD).


OBJECTIVE
We conducted a systematic review and aimed to answer the following clinical questions: What are the effects of interventions in the general population to reduce sodium intake? What are the effects of a cholesterol-lowering diet in the general population? What are the effects of interventions to increase or maintain weight loss? What are the effects of eating more fruit and vegetables on reducing CVD risk in the general population? What are the effects of antioxidants on reducing CVD risk in the general population? What are the effects of omega 3 fatty acids on reduction of CVD risk in the general population? What are the effects of a Mediterranean diet on reduction of CVD risk in the general population? We searched: Medline, Embase, The Cochrane Library and other important databases up to August 2006 (BMJ Clinical Evidence reviews are updated periodically, please check our website for the most up-to-date version of this review). We included harms alerts from relevant organisations such as the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the UK Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA).


RESULTS
We found 47 systematic reviews, RCTs, or observational studies that met our inclusion criteria. We performed a GRADE evaluation of the quality of evidence for interventions.


CONCLUSIONS
In this systematic review we present information relating to the effectiveness and safety of the following interventions: advice to reduce sodium intake, advice to reduce saturated fat intake, behavioural and counselling interventions, diets and behavioural interventions to lose weight, high-dose antioxidant supplements, advice to increase fruit and vegetable intake, lifestyle interventions, Mediterranean diet, omega 3 fatty acids, and training health professionals in promoting weight loss.
Hooper
Lee
L
University of East Anglia, Norwich, UK.
D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000517:prevention & control; D019587:Dietary Supplements; D005247:Feeding Behavior; D006801:Humans; D008019:Life Style; D011322:Primary Prevention; D015431:Weight Loss