Research studies have indicated that carriers of specific 9p21 gene variants have increased risk of: 1) a heart attack before the age of 60 in women and 50 in men, 2) an abdominal aortic aneurysm‡, and 3) blocked coronary arteries or a heart attack at any age. ‡ While the recommended treatment to combat this risk has been to focus on other risk factors, such as losing weight or addressing high blood pressure, new research shows that your diet may play a role in reducing this risk.

 In a recent study published in PLoS Medicine it was discovered that the risk of heart attack, and heart disease in general, associated with the 9p21 variants appeared to significantly decrease with consumption of a diet high in fruits and vegetables. In particular, for study participants who carried the 9p21 genetic risk variants and ate a diet high in raw fruits and vegetables, their risk of a heart attack or heart disease was the same as those without the risk variant. This means, that although your genes may increase your risk of heart disease, you can do something about it by changing your diet.

 What this means for you.