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Last Updated: Jun 30, 2008 - 11:14:37 AM |
MONDAY JAN 7, 2008 (Foodconsumer.org) -- Eating lots of saturated and or trans fat may increase risk of subclinical atherosclerosis while drinking alcohol may relieve the damaging effect, according to a study reported in the Jan, 2008 issue of American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.
The study led by Anwar T. Merchant from the Population Health Research Institute in Hamilton, Canadian and colleagues from other organizations showed 10 grams of saturated fat a day increased mean carotid artery intimal medial thickness by 0.03 mm nd to increase IMT by 0.03 mm one needed only taking 1 gram of trans fat a day.
The researchers also found the ratio of polyunsaturated to saturated fat was inversely associated with IMT, meaning that polyunsaturated fat may alleviate the damaging effect of saturated fat. However, polyunsaturated fat as well as monounsaturated cholesterol and total fat intakes were not associated with IMT.
The association between unsaturated fat intake and IMT was more significant in those who never or rarely consumed alcohol than those who had moderate or heavy drinkers. Does this mean drinking alcohol may help relieve some side effects of intake of saturated and or trans fat on atherosclerosis? The study can answer the question for sure.
The study was a population-based, cross-sectional study involving 620 individuals of Aboriginal, South Asian, Chinese, or European origin aged 35 to 75 years, who had lived in Canada for equal to or more than 5 years.
Mean IMT was calculated from 6 well-defined segments of the right and left carotid arteries with an ultrasound instrument. Saturated fat, trans fat, and alcohol intakes were calculated with validated food-frequency questionnaires.
Early studies suggest drinking alcohol may help prevent heart disease, but critics pointed out that the methods used in many earlier studies are flawed and they said those studies classified former drinkers or those who quit drinking because of health problems as non-drinkers, resulting in a conclusion that favors alcohol consumption.
Saturated and particularly trans fat are harmful to human health. Harvard nutritionists and epidemiologists suggested that about 100,000 people die from heart disease that is associated with consumption of trans fat. Both saturated and trans fat have been linked to increased risk of diabetes among others.
However, the public may only know the fact that saturated and trans fat increase bad cholesterol and trans fat also reduces the good cholesterol. But not as many know that trans fat can cause far more damage to human health.
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