What I have been reading says that heart disease has more to do with inflammation, which is caused by a hi glycemic/load diet rather than cholesterol levels.  In fact most persons with heart disease have normal cholestel levels.  Inflammation comes from 2 areas:  bad diets with highly processed foods and an imbalance of the correct fats. (See bionutrition.org) Diabetes 2 results from spiking blood sugar and thus insulin which over time causes the blood vessels to inflame. Eventually insulin slows and thus the inflammation in the vessels, and oxydized cholesterol will get stuck to the inflammed walls.  This also happens with an imbalance of omega 6 over omega 3 fatty acids, which again causes inflammation in the vessels.  With a diet high in antioxydents (like green and yellow vegs) and a balance in good fats (olive oil, fatty fish, avocados among many others--no/minimal red meats and  no deep fat fried foods which contain omega 6)