Veg Diet Beats Bad Heart Genes

While genetics have long been thought to play an important role in the likelihood of developing heart disease, recent research has found that diet can be even more influential. A new study published in PloS Medicine focused on people with specific genetic variants that are known to increase the risk of heart disease, finding that those who consumed a “Western” diet—heavy in meat, eggs, salt, fried foods, and sugar—were more than twice as likely to have a heart attacks than those who ate a diet with ample raw vegetables and fruits. Researchers collected data from more than 27,000 participants in 53 different countries for the comprehensive study.