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Higher Trans Fat Levels in Blood Associated With Elevated Risk of Heart Disease
March 28, 2007Boston, MA — High consumption of trans fat, found mainly in partially hydrogenated vegetable oils and widely used by the food industry, has been linked to an increased risk of coronary heart disease (CHD). New York and Philadelphia have passed measures eliminating its use in restaurants, and other cities are considering similar bans. A new study from the Harvard School of Public Health (HSPH) provides the strongest association to date between trans fat and heart disease. It found that women in the U.S. with the highest levels of trans fat in their blood had three times the risk of CHD as those with the lowest levels. The study was published online on March 26, 2007, and will appear in the April 10, 2007 print issue of Circulation: Journal of the American Heart Association.
"The strength of this study is that the amount of trans fatty acid levels was measured in blood samples from the study population. Because humans cannot synthesize trans fatty acids, the amount of trans fat in red blood cells is an excellent biomarker of trans fat intake," said senior author Frank Hu, associate professor of nutrition and epidemiology at HSPH.
Clinical trials have shown that trans fatty acids increase LDL cholesterol and lower HDL cholesterol, making them the only class of fatty acids, which includes saturated fat, to have this dual effect. HDL (high-density lipoprotein) is considered a "good" cholesterol; LDL (low-density lipoprotein) a "bad" cholesterol.
The researchers, led by Hu and lead author Qi Sun, a graduate research assistant at HSPH, set out to test the assumption that higher trans fatty acid levels in erythrocytes—red blood cells—were associated with a higher risk of heart disease among U.S. women. Blood samples collected in 1989 and 1990 from 32,826 participants in the Brigham and Women's Hospital-based Nurses' Health Study were examined. During six years of follow-up, 166 cases of CHD were diagnosed and matched with 327 controls for age, smoking status, fasting status and date of blood drawing.
After adjusting for age, smoking status and other dietary and lifestyle cardiovascular risk factors, the researchers found that a higher level of trans fatty acids in red blood cells was associated with an elevated risk of CHD. The risk among women in the top quartile of trans fat levels was triple that of the lowest quartile. "Positive associations have been shown in earlier studies based on dietary data provided by the participants, but the use of biomarkers of trans fatty acids is believed to be more reliable than self-reports. This is probably the reason why we see an even stronger association between blood levels of trans fat and risk of CHD in this study," said Sun.
"These data provide further justifications for current efforts to remove trans fat from foods and restaurant meals," said Hu. "Trans fat intake in the U.S. is still high. Reducing trans fat intake should remain an important public health priority."
The study was supported by the National Institutes of Health.
"A Prospective Study of Trans Fatty Acids in Erythrocytes and Risk of Coronary Heart Disease," Qi Sun, Jing Ma, Hannia Campos, Susan E. Hankinson, JoAnn E. Manson, Meir J. Stampfer, Kathryn M. Rexrode, Walter C. Willett, Frank B. Hu, Circulation, April 10, 2007.
Harvard School of Public Health
The researchers, led by Hu and lead author Qi Sun, a graduate research assistant at HSPH, set out to test the assumption that higher trans fatty acid levels in erythrocytes—red blood cells—were associated with a higher risk of heart disease among U.S. women. Blood samples collected in 1989 and 1990 from 32,826 participants in the Brigham and Women's Hospital-based Nurses' Health Study were examined. During six years of follow-up, 166 cases of CHD were diagnosed and matched with 327 controls for age, smoking status, fasting status and date of blood drawing.
After adjusting for age, smoking status and other dietary and lifestyle cardiovascular risk factors, the researchers found that a higher level of trans fatty acids in red blood cells was associated with an elevated risk of CHD. The risk among women in the top quartile of trans fat levels was triple that of the lowest quartile. "Positive associations have been shown in earlier studies based on dietary data provided by the participants, but the use of biomarkers of trans fatty acids is believed to be more reliable than self-reports. This is probably the reason why we see an even stronger association between blood levels of trans fat and risk of CHD in this study," said Sun.
"These data provide further justifications for current efforts to remove trans fat from foods and restaurant meals," said Hu. "Trans fat intake in the U.S. is still high. Reducing trans fat intake should remain an important public health priority."
The study was supported by the National Institutes of Health.
"A Prospective Study of Trans Fatty Acids in Erythrocytes and Risk of Coronary Heart Disease," Qi Sun, Jing Ma, Hannia Campos, Susan E. Hankinson, JoAnn E. Manson, Meir J. Stampfer, Kathryn M. Rexrode, Walter C. Willett, Frank B. Hu, Circulation, April 10, 2007.
Harvard School of Public Health
Food labels should list all fats to help cut heart disease, say experts
Food labels should list trans fats as well as cholesterol and saturated fat to help reduce coronary heart disease, say researchers from the University of Oxford in this week's BMJ.
Tufts researchers are keeping track of vitamin K: Research summary
Much of what is known about the content of vitamin K in the U.S. food supply comes from research conducted in the Vitamin K Laboratory at the Jean Mayer USDA Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging at Tufts University.
The Metabolic Syndrome - Are You Aware Of The Risk?
It has been estimated that the prevalence of adult obesity across the EU ranges from 10-25% and may be as high as 30%. Many more people are overweight, and the prevalence continues to rise. This worrying trend, sometimes referred to as an 'epidemic', is now well recognized, but the extent to which obesity adversely affects health doesn't make the headlines quite so often. Yet being overweight and obese has serious health implications.
DIETARY TRANS FATTY ACID INTAKE LINKED TO CORONARY HEART DISEASE (pp 732, 747)
A high intake of trans fatty acids contributes to the risk of coronary heart disease (CHD), conclude authors of a study in this week’s issue of THE LANCET. Trans fatty acids are mainly present in solid fats produced by part hydrogenation of oils, and are naturally found in products originating from ruminant animals. Current trans fatty acid intake contributes between 0.5% and 2% to energy intake in western Europe, and an estimated 2% of energy intake in the US and Canada. Evidence on the relation between trans fatty acid intake and CHD is limited. Claudia Oomen and colleagues from the National Institute of Public Health and the Environment, Wageningen University and TNO Nutrition, Net
Do high dietary intakes of trans fats really promote cardiovascular disease?
From his assessment of the studies, Dr John Stanley says the conclusion that trans fatty acids promote cardiovascular disease is premature for the following reasons. First, although prospective cohort studies show an association with cardiovascular disease, trans fatty acids are estimated rather than measured. They may also be markers for some other nutrient that affects cardiovascular disease risk. Second, although many intervention trials seem to show a detrimental effect of trans fatty acids on the blood lipid profile, much depends on the comparison used. When trans fatty acids are compared with oleic acid, total and LDL-cholesterol levels (so-called "bad" cholesterol) are higher; when th
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