Chronic Diseases and Nutrition

Chronic Diseases & Nutrition

• Cardiovascular diseases and hypertension are significantly affected by nutrition and lifestyle choices.

Diet/Lifestyle Risk Factors and Degenerative Diseases

• Diet and lifestyle risk factors can affect numerous degenerative diseases.
• A sedentary lifestyle has been linked to several diseases.
• One disease can have numerous risk factors.
• Degenerative diseases, like atherosclerosis and hypertension, can influence each other.
• Several of these diseases are associated with obesity.

Cardiovascular Diseases (CVD)

• Atherosclerosis, the hardening of arteries from plaques, is a key contributor to CVD.
• High saturated fat diets contribute to plaque buildup.
• This process also involves the body's inflammatory response to tissue damage.
• Contrary to myth, CVD affects women more often than it affects men in a variety of forms.

How Atherosclerosis Develops

• High LDL cholesterol, hypertension, toxins (e.g., cigarette smoke), elevated homocysteine levels, and viral/bacterial infections initiate the process.
• Inflammation prompts white blood cells (macrophages) to clear the damage.
• LDL cholesterol particles become trapped and oxidized in the blood vessel walls.
• Oxidized LDL-engorged macrophages are termed foam cells.

The Formation of Plaques in Atherosclerosis

• Hardened and narrowed arteries cannot expand with rising blood pressure.
• The increased blood pressure causes further damage to the artery walls, straining the heart.

Progression of Atherosclerosis

• An initial fatty streak develops within a blood vessel, progressing to accumulate inflammatory cells.
• This vulnerable lesion can rupture, leading to advanced blockage or occlusion.

Blood clots

• Thrombus is a stationary clot that can block blood vessels.
• Thrombosis is the process of blood clotting.
• Embolism occurs when clots break loose and can travel to other parts of the body.
• The blood clot can block an artery in the heart, leading to heart attack.
• Or, the blood clot can lodge in an artery of the brain, resulting in a stroke.

Aortic Aneurysm

• Aortic aneurysm forms due to pressure buildup and damage to the artery wall.

Atherogenic Lipoprotein Phenotype

• Raised VLDL and a predominance of small dense LDL characterize this phenotype.
• The presence of low HDL also contributes.
• High plasma TAG and low HDL cholesterol levels confirm this type clinically.

Diet to Reduce CVD Risk: Lifestyle Changes

• Increase physical activity.
• Lose weight through lifestyle changes.
• Implement dietary changes to correct nutritional imbalances.
• Reduce exposure to tobacco smoke.

Diet to Reduce CVD Risk: Controlling Dietary Lipids

• Reduce intake of saturated and trans fats, limiting combined consumption to 10% of daily calories.
• Limit dietary cholesterol to no more than 300mg daily.
• Increase consumption of fish, fruits, vegetables, milk products, and whole grains.
• Increase intake of omega-3 fatty acids.

Diet to Reduce CVD Risk: Fibre, Nutrients, and Phytochemicals

• Viscous (soluble) fiber (e.g., oats, barley, legumes) binds cholesterol and bile, reducing absorption.
• Nutrients and phytochemicals in whole foods are preferred over dietary supplements.

Diet to reduce CVD risk: Alcohol consumption

• Middle-aged and older adults who drink one to two drinks a day have been found to raise HDL and reduce the risk of blood clots.
• However, alcohol cannot reverse detrimental effects from poor diets or physical inactivity.

How Much Does Changing Diet Affect LDL Cholesterol Levels?

• Reducing saturated fat intake to <7% of calories can reduce LDL cholesterol by 8 to 10%.
• Lowering dietary cholesterol to <200 mg/day can lower cholesterol by 3 to 5%.
• Losing 10 pounds (4.5 kg) through weight reduction can decrease cholesterol by 5 to 8%.
• Increasing soluble fiber intake to 5-10 grams per day can decrease LDL by 3 to 5%.

Other Dietary Factors That May Protect Against CVD

• Omega-3 fatty acids can limit clot formation and prevent irregular heartbeats, while decreasing blood triglycerides and inflammation.
• Folate, vitamin B6, and B12 help reduce homocysteine levels, but may not decrease the risk of CVD.
• Diet rich in soy foods and flaxseed, sterol esters, and stanols can limit LDL oxidation and lower total and LDL cholesterol levels.
• Alcohol consumption (in moderation) can increase HDL cholesterol levels and limit clot formation in older adults.

Mediterranean Diet Pyramid

• Emphasizes a daily intake of vegetables, fruits, whole grains, olive oil, legumes, nuts, seeds, herbs, spices, and seafood.
• Moderate amounts of wine are recommended.
• Daily water consumption is encouraged.
• Reduced intake of meats and sweets is recommended
• Regular physical activity should be a part of any healthy lifestyle.

Portfolio Diet

• A meal plan for lowering blood cholesterol that is largely vegetarian.
• Includes plant sterols that inhibit cholesterol absorption in the gut, along with high soluble fiber foods such as nuts, soy protein, and various vegetables, fruits, and whole grains.

Assessing Your 10-Year Heart Disease Risk

• A scoring system is discussed that integrates age, HDL cholesterol, systolic blood pressure, and total cholesterol to estimate individual risk.

Explore the connections between nutrition, lifestyle choices, and chronic diseases such as cardiovascular disease and atherosclerosis. This quiz delves into how diet, sedentary lifestyles, and risk factors can lead to degenerative diseases. Test your knowledge on the effects of nutrition and lifestyle on health.