Abstract
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Contemporary understanding of the association between
diet and cardiovascular disease (CVD) stems from the last
century, with significant observations on dietary patterns
and disease prevalence. The evidence-based review of the
current Australian Dietary Guidelines included a number of
specific questions on this topic1 and the evidence-based
statements included in the guidelines are informative for
practice.2 The scientific literature continues to add to this
evidence base and it behoves practitioners to keep up to date
and learn from new insights. Broad frameworks for incorporating
new knowledge into practice can be helpful. In this
Editorial, we focus on two dietary patterns for which recent
major publications have provided further evidence of protection
from CVD: the Mediterranean diet and vegetarian
diets. In discussing these dietary patterns, we look at
research on related foods and nutrients to piece together the
evidence and show where gaps might create further thinking
spaces for researchers and practitioners alike.