Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids Reduce Heart Disease Risk

In recent years research has shown that simply reducing the amount of saturated fats in the diet does not reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease. However, research conducted at the University of Eastern Finland suggests that swapping foods high in saturated fats for those rich in polyunsaturated fatty acids may reduce the risk of coronary heart disease. The researchers examined data concerning the dietary habits of 1,981 men aged between 42 and 60, which was obtained at the baseline of the Kuopio Ischaemic Heart Disease Risk Factor Study (KIHD) conducted between 1984 and 1989. During a follow-up of 21.4 years, 565 men were diagnosed with a coronary heart disease. Out of these, 183 were cardiac events resulting in the death of the patient. The researchers then used computational replacement models to examine how the replacement of saturated fatty acids with other fatty acids or carbohydrates affected the risk of coronary heart disease. Results showed that the consumption of polyunsaturated fatty acids was especially linked to reduced risk of dying of heart disease, regardless of whether they replaced saturated fats, trans fats, or carbohydrates in the diet. However, replacing saturated fats with carbohydrates had no affect on the risk of heart disease. Results also showed that the consumption of monounsaturated fatty acids was linked to a higher risk of heart disease. In conclusion, the findings suggest that eating foods rich in polyunsaturated fats, such as fish, nuts, and vegetable oils, may help to reduce the risk of coronary heart disease.