Low consumption of animal protein, fat, saturated fat, cholesterol and red meat is associated with higher rates of heart disease

This study was published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition 1999 Aug;70(2):221-7

 

Study title and authors:

Dietary protein and risk of ischemic heart disease in women.

Hu FB, Stampfer MJ, Manson JE, Rimm E, Colditz GA, Speizer FE, Hennekens CH, Willett WC.

Departments of Nutrition and Epidemiology, Harvard School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA. frank.hu@channing.harvard.edu

 

This study can be accessed at: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/10426698

The study examined the association between dietary protein intake and incidence of heart disease. The study included 80,082 women, aged 34-59 years, who were without a previous diagnosis of heart disease, stroke, cancer, hypercholesterolemia, or diabetes.

The study found:
(a) Women who consumed the most protein had a 26% reduced rate of heart disease compared to the women who consumed the least protein.
(a:i) Women who consumed the most protein also ate 7.8% more fat than women who consumed the least protein.
(a:ii) Women who consumed the most protein also ate 12.8% more saturated fat than women who consumed the least protein.
(a:iii) Women who consumed the most protein also ate 64.0% more cholesterol than women who consumed the least protein.
(a:iv) Women who consumed the most protein also ate 16.1% more red meat than women who consumed the least protein.
(a:v) Women who consumed the most protein also ate 32.1% less carbohydrate than women who consumed the least protein.
(b) Women who consumed the most animal protein had a 16% reduced rate of heart disease compared to the women who consumed the least animal protein.

The data from the study shows that low consumption of protein, fat, saturated fat, cholesterol and red meat is associated with higher rates of heart disease in women.

This subject is expanded on in my book Cholesterol and Saturated Fat Prevent Heart Disease: Evidence From 101 Scientific Papers

In postmenopausal women, a greater saturated fat intake is associated with less heart disease, whereas a low saturated fat intake is associated with the biggest increase in blocked arteries

This post includes a summary of a paper published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, Vol. 80, No. 5, 1175-1184, November 2004

Study title and authors:
Dietary fats, carbohydrate, and progression of coronary atherosclerosis in postmenopausal women
Dariush Mozaffarian, Eric B Rimm and David M Herrington
From the Channing Laboratory, Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, and the Departments of Epidemiology and Nutrition, Harvard School of Public Health, Boston (DM and EBR)

This paper can be accessed at: http://www.ajcn.org/cgi/content/abstract/80/5/1175?ijkey=e4610ec5427b8118b39ec347e078d34a367efd11&keytype2=tf_ipsecsha

The objective of the study was to investigate associations between dietary fat and carbohydrate and the amount of blockage in the arteries among postmenopausal women.

2,243 coronary artery diameters were measured over 3.1 years in 235 postmenopausal women with established coronary heart disease.

The study found:
(a) Those with the highest saturated fat intake had no change in their arteries.
(b) Those with the lowest saturated fat intake had the biggest increase in blockages in their arteries.
(c) Higher carbohydrate consumption was associated with an increase in blocked arteries.
(d) Polyunsaturated fat consumption was associated with an increase in blocked arteries, when it replaced other fats in the diet.

 

 

Mozaffarian found in postmenopausal women, a greater saturated fat intake is associated with less progression of heart disease, whereas those with the lowest saturated fat intake had the biggest increase in blockages in their arteries.

High saturated fat diet reduces the risk of developing cardiovascular diseases

This study was published in PLoS One 2012;7(2):e31637

Study title and authors:

Dietary fiber and saturated fat intake associations with cardiovascular disease differ by sex in the Malmö Diet and Cancer Cohort: a prospective study.

Wallström P, Sonestedt E, Hlebowicz J, Ericson U, Drake I, Persson M, Gullberg B, Hedblad B, Wirfält E.

Nutrition Epidemiology Research Group, Department of Clinical Sciences, Lund University, Malmö, Sweden. peter.wallstrom@med.lu.se

This study can be accessed at: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22384046

This study investigated the association between nutrient intake and the risk of cardiovascular disease. The study included 8,139 male and 12,535 female participants, aged 44 to 73, who were followed for an average of 13.5 years.

The study found:
(a) Men who consumed the most dietary fat had a 5% reduced risk of cardiovascular disease compared to men who consumed the least dietary fat.
(b) Women who consumed the most dietary fat had a 14% reduced risk of cardiovascular disease compared to women who consumed the least dietary fat.
(c) Men who consumed the most saturated fat had an 11% reduced risk of cardiovascular disease compared to men who consumed the least saturated fat.
(d) Women who consumed the most saturated fat had an 13% reduced risk of cardiovascular disease compared to women who consumed the least saturated fat.
(e) Men who consumed the most carbohydrate had a 9% increased risk of cardiovascular disease compared to men who consumed the least carbohydrate.
(f) Women who consumed the most carbohydrate had an 18% increased risk of cardiovascular disease compared to women who consumed the least carbohydrate.

The data from the study shows that a high saturated fat diet reduces the risk of developing cardiovascular diseases.

An increase in carbohydrates and decrease in saturated fats leads to a rise in heart attack risk

This study was published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition 2010 Jun;91(6):1764-8

 

Study title and authors:

Intake of carbohydrates compared with intake of saturated fatty acids and risk of myocardial infarction: importance of the glycemic index.

Jakobsen MU, Dethlefsen C, Joensen AM, Stegger J, Tjønneland A, Schmidt EB, Overvad K.

Department of Clinical Epidemiology Aarhus University Hospital, Aalborg, Denmark. muj@dce.au.dk muj@dce.au.dk

 

This study can be accessed at: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20375186

The study aimed to investigate the risk of myocardial infarction (heart attack) associated with a higher intake from carbohydrates and a concomitant lower intake from saturated fats. The study included 53,644 participants who were followed for 12 years.

The study found that for every 5% increase in carbohydrate consumption and concomitant 5% decrease in saturated fat consumption there was a 4% increase in the risk of a heart attack.

Further reading:
Cholesterol and Saturated Fat Prevent Heart Disease - Evidence from 101 Scientific Papers