title: Effect of ALA-enriched food supply on cardiovascular risk factors in males.
abstract: The outcome of a total dietary approach using a wide range of n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) enriched food items on cardiovascular diseases called for further investigation. The study objective was to assess the effect of an ALA-enriched food supply on cardiovascular risk factors in healthy males. A dietary intervention (single-blind field trial with pre- and post-measurements) was performed with 59 healthy males in a Belgian prison. Over a period of 12 weeks they were supplied with an n-3 enriched diet (containing 6.5 g n-3 PUFA/day compared to 4 g n-3 PUFA/day in the standard diet) that was substituted for their regular diet, increasing mainly the alpha-linolenic acid intake (from 2.8 to around 5 g/day). The results indicated no impact on subjects waist circumference, weight and BMI or systolic blood pressure. In contrast, the diastolic blood pressure significantly decreased during the intervention period (from 74.6 +/- 8.2 to 71.7 +/- 10.1 mmHg; P < 0.02). Moreover, the HDL-cholesterol level increased in non-smoking participants (from 0.97 +/- 0.25 to 1.06 +/- 0.23 mmol/l; P < 0.03). In summary, the study demonstrated that enrichment of commonly eaten food items with n-3 fatty acids provides the opportunity to increase the n-3 fatty acid intake and to decrease the n-6/n-3 ratio which results in a decreasing diastolic blood pressure and an increase of HDL-cholesterol (in non-smokers).
authors.affiliation: Department of Public Health, Faculty of Medicine and Health Science, Ghent University, UZ-2 Blok A, De Pintelaan 185, 9000 Ghent, Belgium. Isabelle.Sioen@UGent.be
authors.forename: Isabelle
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Sioen
authors.forename: Mirjam
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hacquebard
authors.forename: Gaëlle
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Hick
authors.forename: Veronique
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Maindiaux
authors.forename: Yvan
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Larondelle
authors.forename: Yvon A
authors.initials: YA
authors.lastname: Carpentier
authors.forename: Stefaan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: De Henauw
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000502:physiology; D001837:Body Weights and Measures; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000209:etiology*; D004435:Eating / Q000502:physiology; D005527:Food, Fortified / Q000600:supply & distribution; D006262:Health; D006801:Humans; D008055:Lipids / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011329:Prisoners; D012307:Risk Factors; D016037:Single-Blind Method; D055815:Young Adult; D017962:alpha-Linolenic Acid / Q000494:pharmacology*
chemical_list: D008055:Lipids; D017962:alpha-Linolenic Acid