Physician Profile: Kim Williams, MD

This physician profile is republished from the Winter 2015 edition of Good Medicine. Dr. Williams will be speaking at our upcoming conference on the topic of a plant-based diet for cardiovascular disease. To learn more or register for the International Conference on Nutrition in Medicine: Cardiovascular Disease, visit PCRM.org/Conference.

Kim Williams, MD, president of the American College of Cardiology, will be among the world’s leading physicians and researchers speaking at the Physicians Committee’s International Conference on Nutrition in Medicine: Cardiovascular Disease on July 31 to Aug. 1, 2015, in Washington, D.C. In this Good Medicine exclusive, Dr. Williams, who began following a vegan diet in 2003, answers questions about the state of heart disease and tips for preventing it.

Describe nutrition or lifestyle recommendations that you discuss with your patients.
Everyone who is able should exercise for at least 45 minutes most days of the week. But food quality and content are also important. High fat and high sugar content increases mortality. Plant-based diets lead to better outcomes, reduce health risks, and have a much more favorable effect on obesity, compared with the standard American diet.

What is the one thing someone can do today to improve their heart health?
Everyone needs to know their critical numbers, such as blood pressure, fasting blood sugar, cholesterol levels, body mass index, and waist circumference. They say knowledge is power. In this case, being aware of risk factors helps motivate people to make a difference.

What do you think is the No. 1 cause of the heart disease epidemic?
I'm happy to say that there is not an escalating epidemic in the United States. We have reduced cardiovascular mortality about 50 percent over the last few decades. However, internationally the numbers are climbing as people and low and middle income countries adopt a more sedentary lifestyle with less healthy foods.