Scientists have created a score based on what people say they eat, and it turns out this score matches real chemical signs in the body and can predict heart disease risk — so it might be a good way to tell if someone’s diet is healthy without needing blood tests.

Scientists have created a kind of metabolic 'fingerprint' from what people say they eat, and it turns out this fingerprint matches real eating habits and also links to heart disease risk—so it might be a reliable way to measure diet without asking people again.

Scientists found that certain chemical signatures in your body, based on what you eat, match up well with how healthy people say their diet is—and these signatures also link to heart disease risk. This means they might be a better way to tell if someone’s eating well than just asking them.

Eating too many animal products on a low-carb diet or too many refined carbs on a low-fat diet might raise your risk of heart disease by about 12 to 14% compared to eating healthier versions of those 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.

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.