Dietary management of cardiovascular risk including type 2 diabetes

Purpose of review Recent changes or confirmations linking patterns of eating and specific dietary interventions in the management of cardiovascular risk factors including associations with prevalent and incident type 2 diabetes. Recent findings Recently published guidance for dietary management of cardiovascular risk and type 2 diabetes have mostly common features. Major findings include a trend to replace strict quantitative advice on nutrients with qualitative advice on food consumption with exceptions for diabetes, global advice to increase intake of plant foods, confirmation to substitute mono and polyunsaturated oils for saturated and trans fats, new advisory on supplemental omega-3 intake, less limitation on dairy foods and fermented dairy foods encouraged, reduced emphasis on specific cholesterol-rich foods allowing greater consumption of eggs except for people with diabetes, processed meat consumption limited allowing modest intake of lean red meat, distinguishing between 'healthy' and 'unhealthy' carbohydrates including sugars, and maintaining advice on healthy bodyweight, reducing salt intake and encouraging water as preferred beverage. The new guidance for healthier patterns of food consumption supported by evidence is more readily understood by health practitioners and translatable to consumers and patients.