Understanding the link: What are the top two leading causes of death in the U.S. that are associated with poor diet?

November 2, 2025 •

2 min read

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), heart disease is the leading cause of death in the United States, and along with stroke, is strongly linked to dietary factors. These conditions represent the top two leading causes of death in the U.S. that are associated with poor diet.

Quick Summary

The top two leading causes of death in the U.S. associated with poor diet are heart disease and stroke. This article details how unhealthy eating, including high intake of sodium, saturated fats, and processed foods, significantly increases the risk of cardiovascular events, offering insights into preventative nutritional strategies.

Key Points

Heart Disease: The single leading cause of death in the U.S. is heavily influenced by a poor diet, particularly those high in saturated and trans fats, which promote plaque buildup in arteries.
Stroke: A major cause of death linked to poor diet, stroke is often precipitated by high blood pressure, which can be caused or worsened by excessive sodium intake.
Specific Dietary Culprits: Diets high in sodium, saturated fats, trans fats, and added sugars are major risk factors for both heart disease and stroke.
Protective Foods: A plant-based diet rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and healthy unsaturated fats can significantly lower the risk of cardiovascular events.
Holistic Prevention: Addressing poor diet must be part of a broader preventative strategy that also includes physical activity, weight management, and controlling other health conditions like diabetes.
The Mediterranean Diet and DASH: Eating plans like the Mediterranean and DASH (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension) diets are strongly recommended for their proven benefits in reducing heart disease and stroke risk.

The Alarming Link Between Nutrition and Mortality

Dietary choices have a profound and often underestimated impact on our long-term health. A poor diet is a major modifiable risk factor for the leading causes of death in the U.S. Diets high in sodium, processed foods, sugary drinks, and unhealthy fats contribute to chronic conditions. Understanding these dietary risks can help individuals make healthier choices.

Heart Disease: The #1 Killer

Heart disease is the leading cause of death for both men and women in the U.S.. It includes conditions like coronary artery disease and heart attacks. A key link between poor diet and heart disease is atherosclerosis, the buildup of plaque in arteries. Diets high in saturated and trans fats raise LDL ('bad') cholesterol, promoting plaque. High sodium intake contributes to high blood pressure, a major risk factor.

Dietary changes are vital for prevention:

Reduce Sodium: Limit processed and packaged foods. Use herbs instead of salt.
Decrease Unhealthy Fats: Cut down on saturated and eliminate trans fats.
Eat More Fiber: Increase soluble fiber from foods like oats and legumes.
Embrace Fruits and Vegetables: Increase intake for vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants.

Stroke: A Closely Related Threat

Stroke is another top killer linked to diet, often sharing risk factors with heart disease, like high blood pressure. Stroke occurs when blood flow to the brain is interrupted. Diets high in sodium and saturated fats increase the risk of both ischemic and hemorrhagic strokes by contributing to hypertension and plaque buildup in brain arteries. Healthy lifestyles, including diet, can significantly reduce stroke risk.

Stroke prevention through diet mirrors heart disease prevention:

Manage Sodium Intake: Limiting salt is crucial for preventing hypertension, the main stroke risk factor.
Eat a Plant-Based Diet: Diets like Mediterranean or DASH, rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and healthy fats, lower stroke risk.
Avoid Added Sugars: Excessive sugar intake increases risk through weight gain, diabetes, and inflammation.

The Impact of Lifestyle Choices

Dietary habits are interconnected with other lifestyle factors. Obesity, linked to diet, is a major risk factor for heart disease, stroke, and diabetes. Diabetes, in turn, increases cardiovascular event risk. A holistic approach, including physical activity, stress management, and avoiding tobacco, complements dietary changes.

Comparing Healthy vs. Unhealthy Dietary Patterns


Dietary Feature	Healthy Choices (Mediterranean/DASH)	Unhealthy Choices (Typical Western Diet)
Fat Sources	Monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats.	Saturated and trans fats.
Sodium Content	Low.	High.
Produce Intake	High.	Low.
Carbohydrates	Whole grains, legumes, high-fiber.	Refined grains, sugary snacks.
Protein Sources	Lean poultry, fish, beans, nuts.	Processed and high-fat red meats.

Conclusion: Your Plate, Your Prevention

Heart disease and stroke are largely preventable through dietary choices. The link between a poor diet and these leading causes of death is clear. Adopting a heart-healthy diet with fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and lean proteins, while limiting sodium and unhealthy fats, is a powerful preventative measure. Resources like those from the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) can provide guidance. Improving nutrition today can significantly reduce your future risk.

Frequently Asked Questions

Excessive sodium intake leads to high blood pressure (hypertension), which forces the heart to work harder to pump blood. This can damage blood vessels over time, increasing the risk of both heart attack and stroke.

Saturated fats, found in fatty meats, butter, and cheese, and trans fats, often in processed foods, are considered unhealthy. They raise LDL ('bad') cholesterol levels, contributing to plaque buildup in the arteries.

No. The focus should be on choosing whole grains and high-fiber carbohydrates over refined grains and added sugars. Fiber-rich carbs can help lower cholesterol, while refined carbs can contribute to weight gain and diabetes risk.

The Mediterranean Diet emphasizes high consumption of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and nuts, with olive oil as the primary fat source. It also includes moderate amounts of fish and poultry and low intake of red and processed meats. This dietary pattern is associated with lower blood pressure, reduced inflammation, and improved lipid profiles.

Yes. Obesity is a major risk factor for both heart disease and stroke. Losing weight can help lower blood pressure, improve cholesterol levels, and reduce the strain on your cardiovascular system.

You can reduce sodium by limiting processed and restaurant foods, using herbs and spices for flavoring instead of salt, and choosing low-sodium or no-salt-added versions of canned and packaged products. Checking nutrition labels is essential.

Atherosclerosis is the buildup of plaque within the artery walls. A diet high in saturated and trans fats leads to high levels of LDL cholesterol, which deposits in the arteries and creates plaque. This narrows the arteries and restricts blood flow, increasing the risk of heart attack and stroke.