High Intake of Saturated Fat and Early Occurrence of Specific Biomarkers May Explain the Prevalence of Chronic Disease in Northern Mexico

Abstract

To investigate whether the high prevalence of coronary heart disease (CHD) and type II diabetes prevalent in Northern Mexico could be related to the presence at a young age of biomarkers for chronic disease, 25 boys and 29 girls (8-12 y old) from a low socioeconomic group were recruited. Plasma lipids, LDL phenotype, apolipoproteins (apos), glucose, and insulin were evaluated. Analysis of 3-d dietary records indicated the typical intake of this region to be high in total fat (37-43% energy) and saturated fat (11-13% energy). Boys and girls had an average of 6623 +/- 2892 and 6112 +/- 2793 steps/d, respectively, as measured by a pedometer, suggesting a low level of activity. Plasma total and LDL cholesterol (LDL-C) were within the 50th percentile. In contrast, the study population was characterized by having high triglycerides (TG) (95th percentile, 1.25 +/- 0.37 mmol/L in boys and 1.19 +/- 0.38 mmol/L in girls). HDL cholesterol (HDL-C) concentrations were low (25th percentile), 1.22 +/- 0.20 mmol/L in girls and 1.29 +/- 0.20 mmol/L in boys. There was also a high prevalence of the small dense LDL phenotype B (69%), which is associated with increased risk for CHD. These results suggest that the population of children studied may have 2 different components of risk, one being the high-fat diet, which could be associated with the elevated levels of plasma LDL-C present in the adult population. A second component, related to the insulin resistance syndrome, may be principally genetic and associated with the high TG, low HDL, and LDL phenotype B observed in these Mexican children.

Cardiovascular and metabolic effects of intensive Hatha Yoga training in middle-aged and older women from northern Mexico

“…According to our results, the reasonable explanation for these increased CT and TAG values was directly related to the diet, which although was in the normal range (~1,800 kcal/day) was badly balanced as observed for the macronutriments, with lightly high values for lipids and proteins and low values for carbohydrates. This type of diet is typical of Northern Mexico and has been associated with increases in TC and LDL-C.[35] Also, there was an increase in blood glucose within normal values ( P < 0.05). This marginal increment could be due to gluconeogenesis favoring the influx of glycerol to the hepatocyte from adipocyte's TAG breakdown,[36] possibly associated with the light trend to diminish body fat as observed.…”

Dietary intakes and food sources of fat and fatty acids in Guatemalan schoolchildren: A cross-sectional study

“…In other settings, populations are in the midst of a nutritional transition [10], which is characterized by changes in the eating patterns. In Northern Mexico, children between 8-12 years of age of low socioeconomic status (SES) consumed diets high in total and saturated fats, and in cholesterol [11]. …”

Changes in Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) Food Packages: An Opportunity to Address Obesity

“…An inverse relationship between polyunsaturated fat intake and coronary heart disease (CHD) risk was observed during the 20-year follow-up of the Nurses' Health Study especially for younger or overweight women. 8 Ballesteros et al 9 reported that high saturated fat intake and early occurrences of specific biomarkers may explain the prevalence of CHD and type 2 diabetes in northern Mexico. This observation can be extrapolated to WIC Latina moms with Mexican heritage and supports a lower saturated fat intake for their children especially if eating patterns and tastes remain as children mature.…”