Diet High In Unsaturated Fatty Acids Could Lower CV-Related Mortality Risk
The consumption of unsaturated fatty acids (UFAs) in place of saturated fatty acids (SFAs) and trans fatty acids (TFAs) is associated with a reduced risk of mortality from cardiovascular disease (CVD) or ischemic heart disease among drug-treated patients with cardiac disease, according to a recent study.
Previous evidence has indicated that replacing SFAs with UFAs, especially polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs), is associated with a lower risk of ischemic heart disease. However, it has not yet been established whether this replacement is beneficial for drug-treated patients with cardiac disease.
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For their study, the researchers evaluated 4146 drug-treated patients with a history of myocardial infarction between 2002 and 2006. Patient ages ranged from 60 to 80 years, and 79% of patients were men. All patients had reliable dietary data available for assessment at baseline. Follow-up for cause-specific mortality was conducted through January 1, 2013.
Cox regression models were used to calculate hazard ratios (HRs) for CVD-related and ischemic heart disease-related mortality for theoretical, isocaloric replacement of dietary fatty acids in quintiles and continuously (per 5% of energy). Results were adjusted for demographic factors, medication use, and lifestyle and dietary factors.
On average, patients consumed 17.5% of energy of total UFAs, 13.0% of energy of SFAs, and less than 1% of energy of trans fatty acids (TFAs). Results indicated that, throughout 7 years of follow-up, 372 patients experienced CVD-related mortality, and 249 patients experienced ischemic heart disease-related mortality. Ultimately, the researchers found, via substitution modeling, that replacing SFAs plus TFAs with total UFAs or PUFAs was associated with significantly lower risks of CVD-related mortality. However, HRs in cis monounsaturated fatty acid (MUFA) quintiles were nonsignificant. Additionally, HRs were similar for mortality related to ischemic heart disease.
Continuous analyses also indicated that replacing SFAs plus TFAs with total UFAs, PUFAs, or cis MUFAs (per 5% of energy) was associated with a substantially lower risk of mortality from CVD or ischemic heart disease.
“Shifting the [fatty acid] composition of the diet toward a higher proportion of UFAs may lower CVD mortality risk in drug-treated patients with cardiac disease,” the researchers concluded.
—Christina Vogt
Reference:
Mölenberg FJM, de Goede J, Wanders AJ, Zock PL, Kromhout D, Geleijnse JM. Dietary fatty acid intake after myocardial infarction: a theoretical substitution analysis of the Alpha Omega Cohort. Am J Clin Nutr. 2017;106(3). doi:10.3945/ajcn.117.157826.