Coronary heart disease: seven dietary factors.

The dietary factors believed to be linked with the incidence of coronary heart disease are reviewed in the light of evidence with regard to their functional role, either in protection or in promotion. Detailed analysis of the evidence shows that the relations are more complex than the current lipid hypothesis suggests. It is proposed that, in particular, the polyunsaturated/saturated ratio as a measure of the propensity of the diet to influence the incidence of coronary heart disease should be replaced by indices of atherogenicity and thrombogenicity.