COPENHAGEN—Results of a new study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition cast a cloud over the theory that consuming a diet rich in foods that contain fatty acids benefit heart health.
Danish researchers examined the association between alpha-linolenic acid (ALA) intake and risk of ischemic heart disease (IHD) in 3,277 healthy Danish women and men free of known IHD to see if it was modified by intake of omega-3s or linoleic acid. The findings found no association between alpha-linolenic acid (ALA) intake and risk of heart disease; however, high intake of omega-3s had a significant cardioprotective effect in women.
The study also examined the effects of linoleic acid and alpha-linolenic acid (ALA) on the risk of heart disease in the study participants. None of the subjects had been diagnosed with heart problems when they entered the study, which gathered information about their eating habits, exercise and other lifestyle patterns.
After an average of 23.3 years of follow-up, 471 participants had developed ischemic heart disease. Interestingly, they found only women who consumed the most omega-3 fatty acids had a 38% lower risk of developing heart disease than women who reported eating the least fatty acids. Men who consumed more omega-3 fatty acid-rich foods gained protection from heart disease; however the statistical differences were small so the effect could be due to chance.
The researchers concluded there is no association between ALA intake and risk of IHD, but a high intake of omega-3 fatty acids had a significant cardioprotective effect in women.
