Concluding remarks CHD is a multi-factorial disease which has kept researchers guessing for more than a century. It is very doubtful that a single factor will every fully explain CHD, but antioxidant nutrients may come closer than the more established risk factors. Blood cholesterol levels and blood pressure do not account for the regional differences in CHD mortality observed in Britain. Increased oxidative stress resulting from a low antioxidant status may be the common mechanism by which these factors operate. Many correlations have featured in this paper.
Correlations are merely sign-posts pointing to possible research directions.
More basic research is required to understand how the antioxidants function in health and disease on a molecular and cellular level. Novel approaches are required to reliably measure antioxidant status and oxidative stress. Research programmes like that initiated by the MAFF which bring together researchers, industry, and government, will build a solid foundation of science on which to base future dietary recommendations. Free Radicals in Biology and Medicine. World health statistics annual.