Cardiovascular Disease: Diet, Nutrition, and Emerging Risk Factors: The Report of a British Nutrition Foundation Task Force

Many of the books that deal with the role nutrition plays in cardiovascular disease (CVD) focus primarily on how the diet alters certain cholesterolcontaining compounds that protect or damage the cardiovascular system. Professor Keith Frayn (task force chair) and Ms Sara Stanner (editor) have done an exceptionally good job in assembling information that provides a broad-based overview of CVD and its many causes. In order to accomplish this daunting task, Frayn assembled highly qualified British experts from a wide variety of CVD-related fields, had each of them author chapters on critical topics, and then had them draw overall conclusions about these topics as a group. Novel aspects of this book are that it includes a great deal of the basic information about CVD, as well as the most recent research findings about the role inflammation, homocysteine, and adipose tissue–derived factors play in the development of CVD. Introductory chapters take a physiologic approach to CVD and methodically explain how the cardiovascular system works and the role that both blood pressure and blood clotting can play in interrupting this process. This information segues into a discussion of “metabolic syndrome” and the relationship between obesity, diabetes mellitus, and hypertension. Diet therapy and the impact of physical activity are also discussed in separate chapters. The role that lipoproteins play in CVD is discussed by a number of authors and is approached from the vantage point of low-density lipoprotein and highdensity lipoprotein subfractions, as well as lipoprotein (a). The chapters on endothelial dysfunction and oxidative stress discuss the impact of lipoproteins at both the cellular and subcellular levels. The genetic impact on CVD is discussed in some detail in regard to lipid-related factors, as well as the hemostatic system. Unique aspects of this book are that most of the chapters end with a summary statement, a list of references, and recommendations for future research. Closing chapters of the book include final recommendations made by the task force regarding each critical topic and directions for future research. Future research is addressed from 3 directions: (1) emerging CVD risk factors, (2) effective dietary interventions, and (3) general recommendations for policy makers, health professionals, industry employees, caterers, workplace employees, and media employees. The book ends with a final chapter that addresses questions commonly asked by medical journalists. This book is very user friendly. If one has questions about the latest findings regarding “hot topic” CVD issues [eg, trans fatty acids, inflammation, lipoprotein (a)], the answers are easy to locate in this book. Anyone who is interested in a wellpresented update on the relationship between diet and CVD (such as physicians, dietitians, other medical professionals, medical journalists, and students) will find this book useful. George Liepa, PhD Eastern Michigan University Ypsilanti, Michigan