Abstract
Cardiovascular diseases are a major cause of mortality and morbidity worldwide. Diet has a great impact on the risk of developing cardiovascular disease. Several studies have shown that the Mediterranean diet has a protective effect on cardiovascular risk factors. High intake of vegetables, fruits, olive oil, fish, cereals, low fat dairy products and a moderate consumption of alcohol characterize the Mediterranean diet. However, cultural differences may limit the adherence to the Mediterranean diet in other populations. In addition, eating regional food items, is sustainable for the environment. Therefore a healthy Nordic diet had been proposed as an alternative to the Mediterranean diet. The key food items of the Nordic diet are whole-grain products, berries, vegetables, fruits, fish, rapeseed oil and low fat dairy products. The objective of this paper is therefore to systematically review the effects of a healthy Nordic diet with regard to development of cardiovascular disease. In total nine randomized controlled trials was evaluated on this topic. Several of the studies showed that a healthy Nordic diet might have a beneficial impact on cardiovascular risk factors as cholesterol, LDL cholesterol, blood pressure, inflammation markers and glucose and insulin sensitivity.