Eating lots of typical Western junk food — like fries, soda, and sweets — doesn’t seem to make heart problems worse for people who already have stable heart disease, even when you account for things like age, smoking, and exercise.

Eating too many unhealthy carbs or too much meat and processed food—even if you're on a low-carb or low-fat diet—can raise your risk of heart disease by about 12–14% compared to eating healthier versions of those same diets.

People who eat low-carb or low-fat diets full of sugary foods and meat have a 14% to 20% higher chance of getting heart disease than those who eat similar diets but with healthier foods.

People who eat low-fat diets full of plants and whole grains are less likely to get heart disease than those who eat low-fat diets full of sugary snacks and processed foods, according to long-term studies of U.S. health workers.

People who eat more whole grains like oats and brown rice, and fewer white breads and sugary snacks, tend to have less heart disease — and this pattern has been seen in many different groups of people.

Eating low-carb or low-fat diets that are full of meat or sugary refined foods might raise your risk of heart disease by about 14% to 17% compared to eating healthier versions of those same diets.