VIDEO: Plant-predominant diets low in saturated fat favorable for CVD prevention

SAN DIEGO — Nutritionally diverse plant-based diets are ideal for CVD prevention in patients, according to Danielle Belardo, MD, a preventive cardiologist practicing in Newport Beach, California.

During her presentation at the ACP Internal Medicine Meeting, Belardo discussed clinical trials that showed “various different risk factors for cardiovascular disease can be modified by different dietary interventions.”

“The bottom line of the talk was that eating a Mediterranean-style, DASH diet or vegetarian, vegan — whatever diet you like that’s plant predominant, low in saturated fat, higher in poly- and monounsaturated fat that is well planned and nutritionally diverse — is the most healthful for us and for our patients,” she said.

Belardo also pointed out the importance of “keeping an open mind to using GLP-1 medical therapy in patients who are appropriate and could benefit from both food as medicine as well as medicine as medicine.”

Reference:

• Belardo D, et al. Food as medicine. Presented at: ACP Internal Medicine Meeting; April 27-29, 2023; San Diego.