The role of reducing intakes of saturated fat in the prevention of cardiovascular disease: where does the evidence stand in 2010?

Abstract

Current dietary recommendations advise reducing the intake of saturated fatty acids (SFAs) to reduce coronary heart disease (CHD) risk, but recent findings question the role of SFAs. This expert panel reviewed the evidence and reached the following conclusions: the evidence from epidemiologic, clinical, and mechanistic studies is consistent in finding that the risk of CHD is reduced when SFAs are replaced with polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs). In populations who consume a Western diet, the replacement of 1% of energy from SFAs with PUFAs lowers LDL cholesterol and is likely to produce a reduction in CHD incidence of ≥2-3%. No clear benefit of substituting carbohydrates for SFAs has been shown, although there might be a benefit if the carbohydrate is unrefined and has a low glycemic index. Insufficient evidence exists to judge the effect on CHD risk of replacing SFAs with MUFAs. No clear association between SFA intake relative to refined carbohydrates and the risk of insulin resistance and diabetes has been shown. The effect of diet on a single biomarker is insufficient evidence to assess CHD risk. The combination of multiple biomarkers and the use of clinical endpoints could help substantiate the effects on CHD. Furthermore, the effect of particular foods on CHD cannot be predicted solely by their content of total SFAs because individual SFAs may have different cardiovascular effects and major SFA food sources contain other constituents that could influence CHD risk. Research is needed to clarify the role of SFAs compared with specific forms of carbohydrates in CHD risk and to compare specific foods with appropriate alternatives.

Adherence to a Mediterranean diet and energy, macro-, and micronutrient intakes in older persons

“…Regarding macronutrients, higher adherence to a MeDi was characterized by a high intake of vegetal protein but not animal protein, complex carbohydrates hence a lower glycemic index, a low consumption of SFA whose detrimental effects are well documented -although debated [1], and a high consumption of MUFA, especially oleic acid, and PUFA. Despite a higher intake of n-3 PUFA with greater MeDi adherence, notably in women, the ratio of n-6/n-3 PUFA precursors increased with MeDi score.…”

A comparative study of the fatty acid profiles in commercial sheep cheeses

“…Saturated FA are known to increase the risk of coronary heart disease (CHD; Williams et al, 2000), on the contrary, milk MUFA and PUFA (e.g., C18:2 c9, t11) can reduce the risk of CHD and prevent some types of cancer (Mohammadzadeh et al, 2013). However, there is a lack of scientific evidence that other SFA such as C4:0-C10:0 (short-and medium-chain FA; SMFA) have an effect on blood cholesterol and CHD risk (Astrup et al, 2011). In this study, compared to cow and sheep, goat cheese had higher contents of SMFA.…”

A Ten Year Overview of Surgical and Interventional Arrhythmology in Russia. Service Peculiar Features in the Far East

“…Другой важный аспект питания -чем должны заменяться насы-щенные жирные кислоты . Результаты эпидемиологиче-ских, клинических и наблюдательных исследований пока-зывали снижение риска ССЗ на 2-3% при замене 1% энер-гии пищевого рациона, поступающей из насыщенных жирных кислот, на полиненасыщенные жирные кислоты [270] . Причем таких результатов не было получено при замене на углеводы и мононенасыщенные жирные кислоты .…”