The study: Led by Dr. Salim Yusuf, the team analyzed data on 16,000 patients, 5,700 of whom had just suffered a first heart attack, reports Reuters. Each person completed a detailed questionnaire on eating habits and gave a blood sample. The volunteers were then divided into one of three groups, based on their eating habits:

• Oriental: High intake of tofu, soy and other sauces.
• Western: High intake of fried foods, salty snacks and meat.
• Prudent: High intake of fruits and vegetables.

The results:

• Those who ate more fruits and vegetables had a 30 percent lower risk of having a heart attack than did those who ate little or none of these foods, reports Reuters.
• Those who consumed a Western diet had a 35 percent increased risk of a heart attack, compared to people who ate almost no fried foods or meat.
• Those on the Oriental diet had an average risk of a heart attack compared to the others. A tofu-rich diet does not protect against heart disease since it is so high in sodium, which can raise blood pressure and the risk for a heart attack or stroke.

Until now, it was not totally clear if food was a driving factor for heart attack risk. For example, someone who eats rich foods may also have a richer lifestyle that includes little or no exercise. But now we know that heart attacks are not an affliction of the rich, reports Reuters. "Approximately 80 percent of the global cardiovascular disease burden occurs in low- and middle-income countries," the authors wrote in the journal Circulation.