Dietary fatty acids and cardiovascular disease

Abstract

In 1991, the Committee on Medical Aspects of Food Policy produced a report on the dietary reference values for food energy and nutrients for groups of people in the United Kingdom. The resulting recommendations, which included specific limits for intakes of total, saturated, trans-and cis-polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) have remained a cornerstone of public health policy ever since, and similar recommendations have been adopted by the World Health Organization. These recommendations were made largely on the basis of specific effects of these fatty acids on the risk of developing atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (CVD). The intervening years have seen a plethora of human epidemiological and intervention trials to further elucidate the specific relationship between dietary fatty acid intake, plasma lipids and lipoproteins and cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. A number of recent meta-analyses and systematic reviews have revisited the role of specific dietary fatty acid classes and CVD risk. In general, these continue to support a link between saturated fatty acids (SFA) and CVD morbidity/mortality. They also highlight the potent adverse effects of trans fatty acids derived from partially hydrogenated vegetable oil. The most recent data suggest that replacing SFA with cis-PUFA (primarily linoleic acid) has the greatest impact on reducing CVD risk. Evidence of specific beneficial effects of n-3 PUFA is generally stronger for secondary, rather than primary, CVD risk, and it is restricted to very long chain fatty acids of marine origin as opposed to alpha-linolenic acid. Taken together, these data suggest that recent focus on dietary n-6-to-n-3 PUFA ratios may have been misguided, and that future strategies should focus on replacing dietary SFA with total PUFA, rather than concentrating on n-6 : n-3 PUFA ratio.

Energy and macronutrient intakes in Brazil: results of the first nationwide individual dietary survey

“…In Finland, polyunsaturated fat intake was about 13 % of total energy for men and 12 % for women (30) . Low polyunsaturated fat intake and high saturated fat intake are associated with various coronary events and an increased risk of death resulting from their effects on plasma lipoproteins (31) . According to Mensink et al (32) , saturated fat contributes to increased LDL-cholesterol levels, whereas polyunsaturated fat leads to decreases in LDL-cholesterol levels.…”

Towards Healthier Life: Changes in growing of health-friendly food crops and products in Lithuania before accession to EU and after

“…The main focus on promoting beef meat lies not in its containment of high quality protein, iron, zinc, vitamin D, B3, B12, selenium and longchain omega-3 fatty acids what have positive potential impact on human health, but also in its capability to substitute pork, considered not favorable in terms of healthy diet, in almost all traditional European dishes containing red meat. Also beef meat is considered much healthier than pork [31] as it is important dietary source of CLA, especially cis-9, trans-11 isomer, identified as an important health promoter factor including antitumor and ant carcinogenic activities [32], beef also contains specific trans-fatty acids, that have potential protective properties against the development of coronary heart diseases [33].…”

Fatty acid profile of British Columbia suckler beef

“…Feeding systems that induce lipid deposition are associated with increased SCD expression, contributing to increased abundance of c-MUFAs in tissues (Smith et al 2009). Although not as effective as PUFAs, replacing dietary SFAs with c-MUFAs, as per the Mediterranean type diet, is thought to reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease (Salter 2013).…”

“…The n-3 PUFA content, largely comprised of 18:3-3, was greater for SB than MG or GF feeding systems (P < 0.001). Directly, 18:3n-3 is not considered to have strong anti-inflammatory effects; however, it is indirectly beneficial through its higher affinity for enzymes responsible for synthesis of LCPUFAs compared with 18:2n-6 (Calder 2006;Salter 2013). The n-3 LC-PUFAs derived in situ from 18:3n-3 are primarily responsible for formation of anti-inflammatory eicosanoids; hence, the emphasis is on increasing their daily consumption (Calder 2006).…”