Heart attack and stroke are leading causes of death worldwide, primarily resulting from blood vessel changes known as atherosclerosis. Diet plays an important role, as higher meat and alcohol consumption have been linked to increased cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk. However, the biological pathways underlying these associations remain unclear. This project aims to identify microbiome, metabolomic, and proteomic biomarkers related to meat and alcohol intake and to examine their causal links with CVD risk using large-scale epidemiological data. Specific aims: 1. Identify gut and urinary microbiota, circulating metabolites, and proteomic biomarkers associated with dietary meat and alcohol intake. 2. Determine whether the CVD risk associated with meat and alcohol intake is mediated through these biomarkers. Using Mendelian randomization and mediation analyses, we will explore causal pathways linking diet-related microbial, metabolic, and proteomic signatures with atherosclerosis and CVD.