The diet-heart question: how good is the evidence?

There is little doubt that dietary intervention should be the first approach to treating the hypercholesterolemic patient in an attempt to reduce his or her risk of heart disease. The questions raised in this review deal with the advisability of generalized dietary recommendations to the public and their potential benefit in reducing CVD incidence. A total risk factor intervention approach on an individual patient basis would seem to have greater potential for success than a generalized dietary recommendation.