2026 Dietary Guidance to Improve Cardiovascular Health
Updated: March 31, 2026
- This Scientific Statement is an update to the previously published “2021 Dietary Guidance to Improve Cardiovascular Health: A Scientific Statement from the American Heart Association.”
- The statement provides a concise update that summarizes food-based cardiovascular health optimization and CVD risk reduction guidance related to aspects of a heart-healthy dietary pattern.
- The nine features for heart-healthy dietary patterns across the life course are updated with the latest evidence, and apply regardless of where food is procured, prepared, or consumed.
2026 Dietary Guidance to Improve Cardiovascular Health
Learn the key takeaways from this new scientific statement with Writing Group Chair Alice Lichtenstein, DSc, FAHA and Vice Chair Amit Khera, MD, FAHA. The 2026 Dietary Guidance Statement is an update to the 2021 Dietary Guidance Statement focused specifically on what to eat for heart health and is intended to be a more concise scientific statement. In this video, the authors highlight the importance of maintaining healthy eating patterns across the life course and walk through the nine features of the updated dietary guidance aimed at improving cardiovascular health for all.