Intake of ruminant trans fatty acids and risk of coronary heart disease.
BACKGROUND
Studies have shown a positive association between trans fatty acids (TFA) intake and risk of coronary heart disease (CHD), primarily accounted for by industrially produced TFA. Some of these studies indicate an inverse association between ruminant TFA (R-TFA) intake and CHD implying that R-TFA intake is innocuous or even protective against CHD. The aim of this study was to describe the association between R-TFA intake and risk of CHD evaluating both the absolute and the energy-adjusted intake.


METHODS
The study was an 18-year follow-up study of 3686 Danes, aged 30-71 years, at baseline without previous CHD.


RESULTS
There were no overall associations between absolute or energy-adjusted R-TFA intakes and risk of CHD. However, among women, indications of inverse associations between R-TFA intake and risk of CHD were found: hazard ratio (HR) per 0.5 g increase in absolute R-TFA intake = 0.84 [95% confidence interval (CI): 0.70, 1.01] and HR per 0.5 g increase in energy-adjusted R-TFA intake = 0.77 (95% CI: 0.55, 1.09). No associations between absolute or energy-adjusted R-TFA intakes and CHD were found among men.


CONCLUSIONS
This study suggests that R-TFA intake is not associated with a higher risk of CHD. Whether R-TFA intake is even protective against CHD among women cannot be concluded from this study.
Jakobsen
Marianne U
MU
Research Unit for Dietary Studies at Institute of Preventive Medicine, Copenhagen University Hospital, Centre for Health and Society, Øster Søgade 18, DK-1357 Copenhagen, Denmark. muj@dce.au.dk
Overvad
Kim
K
Dyerberg
Jørn
J
Heitmann
Berit L
BL
D000328:Adult; D017677:Age Distribution; D000368:Aged; D000818:Animals; D015331:Cohort Studies; D003327:Coronary Disease / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D003718:Denmark / Q000453:epidemiology; D004041:Dietary Fats / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D011336:Probability; D016016:Proportional Hazards Models; D011446:Prospective Studies; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012418:Ruminants; D017678:Sex Distribution; D013997:Time Factors; D044242:Trans Fatty Acids / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000378:metabolism
D004041:Dietary Fats; D044242:Trans Fatty Acids