Study Shows This Diet Raises Cardiac Event Risk By 82% In Heart Disease Patients

And how to eat an anti-inflammatory diet instead.

AbJimroe

Apr 15, 2026 - 17:15

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Study Shows This Diet Raises Cardiac Event Risk By 82% In Heart Disease Patients

Registered Dietitian Nutritionist

Image by Kristine Weilert / Stocksy

April 15, 2026

Coronary heart disease is the leading cause of heart-related death worldwide 1, and in the U.S., about 1 in 20 adults are currently living with the condition. For many people, it’s something they’re actively managing (or may one day need to).

A study published in Frontiers in Nutrition2 suggests that dietary patterns (particularly, how inflammatory or anti-inflammatory someone's diet is) may play an important role in long-term outcomes. Here's what you need to know.

About the study

For this study, researchers followed 500 adults with established coronary heart disease for a median of about 38 months (just over three years).

Participants’ diets were evaluated using the Dietary Inflammatory Index (DII). The DII is a research tool that scores dietary patterns based on how likely they are to increase or decrease inflammation in the body. Diets rich in processed foods and refined ingredients tend to score as more inflammatory, while those high in plant foods and healthy fats typically score as anti-inflammatory.

Over the course of the study, researchers tracked major adverse cardiac events, including heart attack, stroke, or cardiovascular death, and overall mortality.

Inflammatory diets raise cardiovascular event risk

Over the follow-up period, clear differences emerged between those eating more inflammatory diets and those eating less inflammatory ones.

People eating the most pro-inflammatory diets had an 82% higher risk of major cardiac events compared to those eating the least inflammatory diets.Each 1-unit increase in Dietary Inflammatory Index score was linked to a 21% higher risk of major cardiac events.Those in the highest inflammatory diet group also had a 68% higher risk of death from any cause.Major cardiac events occurred in 29.6% of those eating the most inflammatory diets, compared to 11.2% of those eating the least inflammatory diets.

Inflammation & heart health

Now, we all know that inflammation can be harmful to health. But how does it so profoundly impact heart health. Chronic low-grade inflammation can destabilize arterial plaques, promote blood clot formation, and accelerate the progression of cardiovascular disease. For someone whose arteries are already compromised, this inflammatory burden may tip the scales toward a cardiac event.

Certain dietary patterns are known to promote inflammation. These often include:

Ultra-processed foodsRefined carbohydratesSugary beveragesProcessed meatsFried foodsExcess saturated and trans fats

These foods tend to be low in fiber, antioxidants, and beneficial fats, all of which are nutrients that help regulate immune function and inflammation.

What an anti-inflammatory diet looks like

While the study focused on inflammatory potential rather than specific meal plans, decades of research point to common features of anti-inflammatory eating patterns.

These typically include:

Colorful fruits and vegetables Fatty fish like salmon, mackerel, and sardines (or omega-3 supplements like these)Nuts and seeds (vitamins, minerals, and healthy fats)Whole grains Extra-virgin olive oilHerbs and spices like turmeric, ginger, and garlic

This foods align with a Mediterranean-style eating patterns, the most well-researched anti-inflammatory diet. Anyone managing heart disease should work with their healthcare team or a registered dietitian to create an eating plan that fits their specific needs and preferences.

The takeaway

What you eat impacts your disease risk, and can also help (or hurt) your the management of your condition. While more research is needed, it adds to growing evidence that choosing more anti-inflammatory foods may help support better long-term heart health.