Greater trans fat intake linked with increased risk of death from any cause over seven years April 22, 2013. The May, 2013 issue of the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition published the finding of a study funded by the National Institutes of Health which uncovered an association between higher trans fat intake and a greater risk of death from any cause over seven years of follow-up. Although previous research has linked the intake of trans fat with an increased risk of several chronic diseases, no other study has examined the association between trans fat consumption and all-cause mortality to the authors knowledge. The current investigation examined data from 18,513 participants in the Reasons for Geographic and Racial Differences in Stroke (REGARDS) study, which enrolled 30,239 African American and Caucasian men and women aged 45 and older between 2003 and 2007. Dietary questionnaires completed upon enrollment provided information on the intake of calories and total and specific fats, including trans fat. Over seven years of follow-up 1,572 deaths occurred. The risk of dying over follow-up increased with rising trans fat intake levels. Among those whose consumption of trans fat was among the top one-fifth of participants, the adjusted risk of dying from any cause was 24% greater than those whose intake was lowest. A similar risk was observed for men and women whose intake was among the second highest group. In their explanation of the findings, the authors remark that increased trans fat intake has been associated with such markers of inflammation as interleukin-6, tumor necrosis factor-alpha and C-reactive protein, and that increased inflammation is involved in the development of cardiovascular disease as well as cancer. More studies are needed to further evaluate the contribution of trans fatty acids to death from all causes, they conclude.
Posted on: Tue, 29 Oct 2013 14:25:02 +0000
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