Dietary saturated and unsaturated fats as determinants of blood pressure and vascular function

Abstract

The amount and type of dietary fat have long been associated with the risk of CVD. Arterial stiffness and endothelial dysfunction are important risk factors in the aetiology of CHD. A range of methods exists to assess vascular function that may be used in nutritional science, including clinic and ambulatory blood pressure monitoring, pulse wave analysis, pulse wave velocity, flowmediated dilatation and venous occlusion plethysmography. The present review focuses on the quantity and type of dietary fat and effects on blood pressure, arterial compliance and endothelial function. Concerning fat quantity, the amount of dietary fat consumed habitually appears to have little influence on vascular function independent of fatty acid composition, although single high-fat meals postprandially impair endothelial function compared with low-fat meals. The mechanism is related to increased circulating lipoproteins and NEFA which may induce proinflammatory pathways and increase oxidative stress. Regarding the type of fat, cross-sectional data suggest that saturated fat adversely affects vascular function whereas polyunsaturated fat (mainly linoleic acid (18 : 2n-6) and n-3 PUFA) are beneficial. EPA (20 : 5n-3) and DHA (22 : 6n-3) can reduce blood pressure, improve arterial compliance in type 2 diabetics and dyslipidaemics, and augment endothelium-dependent vasodilation. The mechanisms for this vascular protection, and the nature of the separate physiological effects induced by EPA and DHA, are priorities for future research. Since good-quality observational or interventional data on dietary fatty acid composition and vascular function are scarce, no further recommendations can be suggested in addition to current guidelines at the present time.

Influence of fat intake and BMI on the association of rs1799983 NOS3 polymorphism with blood pressure levels in an Iberian population

“…In addition to high sodium intake the scientific literature has established a link between dietary fat and increased risk of hypertension [9]. In this sense, we found gene-diet interactions between rs1799983 NOS3 genetic variant and SFA and MUFA intakes and the effect on DBP.…”

“…However, to our knowledge, there are few reports on the modulation of environmental factors such as excess body weight or diet, two risk factors widely associated with increased BP levels and hypertension, on the association between rs1799983 and BP or hypertension [9,10].…”

The relation of red blood cell fatty acids with vascular stiffness, cardiac structure and left ventricular function: The Framingham Heart Study

“…Whereas several epidemiological studies suggest a protective association of omega-3 PUFA on arterial blood pressure, 32 very few investigations have related them to directly assessed vascular stiffness (a major determinant of hypertension and strong predictor of cardiovascular events 33 ), and the published results have been inconsistent. Yamada et al found no significant difference in CFPWV between 261 inhabitants of a Japanese fishing village (with high fish consumption) and 209 inhabitants of a farming village (with low fish consumption), 34 whereas in two other smaller studies arterial compliance was better in the fishing than in the farming communities.…”

Misvisende om kosthold i ny nasjonal retningslinje for forebygging av hjerte- og karsykdommer

“…Utskifting av mettet fett med umettet fett har i noen studier også vist seg å påvirke andre risikofaktorer gunstig, slik som blodtrykk, arteriell funksjon og leverfett [209][210][211] . Utskifting av mettet fett med karbohydrater generelt har ingen signifikant effekt på total-HDL-kolesterol-ratio 147 , og det har ifølge metaanalyser ingen klar sammenheng med hjerte-og karsykdom eller dødelighet.…”