The Study
Dietary patterns and the risk of major adverse cardiovascular events in a global study of high-risk patients with stable coronary heart disease
This study found that people who ate more fruits, veggies, fish, and a little wine were less likely to have heart attacks or die from heart problems — but we can't say eating those foods caused it. Maybe they also exercised more or had better doctors, and that’s what really helped.
Analysis score
Maximum 72 for a cohort study.
Where the score came from
People with heart disease who ate more fruits, vegetables, fish, and drank a little alcohol had fewer heart attacks and strokes, even if they also ate some unhealthy foods.
Where does this study sit?
Reviews of RCTs (Meta-analyses)
Max 100Randomized Trials
Max 90Reviews of Cohort Studies
Max 85Cohort Studies
Max 72Reviews of Case-Control Studies
Max 63Case-Control Studies
Max 58Cross-Sectional & Case Series
Max 50Expert Opinion
Max 559 / 100
Quality score
Groups of people are followed over time to see who develops an outcome. Strong for identifying risk factors and associations, but cannot prove causation as firmly as RCTs.
Key takeaways
Summary
Based on the study abstract and findings.
- 1Yes — a 5–6% lower risk per point is meaningful over years and applies to millions of heart patients worldwide.
- 2People with the healthiest eating habits had 5% fewer heart events for every extra point on a simple diet score; eating fish or tofu was the only single food linked to lower risk.
Score breakdown, methodology, conflicts of interest, evidence analysis & raw study data
Publication
Journal
European Heart Journal
Year
2016
Authors
R. Stewart, L. Wallentin, J. Benatar, N. Danchin, E. Hagström, C. Held, S. Husted, E. Lonn, A. Stebbins, K. Chiswell, O. Vedin, David Watson, H. White
Related Content
Claims (5)
If people with heart disease eat more like a Mediterranean diet—lots of fruits, veggies, fish, whole grains, and a little alcohol—they’re slightly less likely to have serious heart problems like heart attacks or strokes.
Eating healthy foods like vegetables, fruits, nuts, and whole grains—no matter if you're eating fewer carbs or less fat—may lower your risk of heart disease by about 13–15% and help keep your blood fats and inflammation in check.
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.
People with heart disease who eat more fruits, veggies, fish, and a little alcohol each week tend to have fewer serious heart problems — and even small improvements in these habits might help.
People who eat like Mediterraneans—lots of veggies, olive oil, fish, and nuts—tend to have fewer heart problems, no matter where they live or how much money they make, so this way of eating might help heart patients everywhere.
Not medical advice. For informational purposes only. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional before making health decisions.