How could diet affect atherosclerosis?

Diet plays a huge role in atherosclerosis through impacting many of its associated risk factors, such as obesity, high cholesterol, high blood-pressure, and diabetes. Recent guidelines cite strong evidence that weight loss in people with overweight or obesity can reduce atherosclerotic disease risk. There’s also strong evidence that a diet high in fruits and vegetables, legumes, nuts, whole grains, and fish can reduce the risk for diseases caused by atherosclerosis. Weaker evidence suggests that swapping out saturated fat with mono- or polyunsaturated fats and minimizing processed meats and refined carbohydrates can also help.^[1]