Soft margarines linked to reduced risk of coronary heart disease

09/08/05 Consumption of foods made from soybean and canola oils can play a key role in reducing the risk for coronary heart disease in numerous countries, according to a study in the July 23 British Medical Journal. In this new research, a significant reduction in heart disease risk was found to be more closely associated with consumption of oil-based products (e.g., soft, trans fat-free margarines) than it was with increased fruit intake and a decrease in smoking.

This research paper, co-authored by Walter Willett, M.D., Chair of the Department of Nutrition at the Harvard School of Public Health, states, “The experience of Poland [the focus of this study] is consistent with epidemiological and clinical evidence indicating that mortality due to coronary heart disease can be reduced by partly replacing dietary saturated fats with polyunsaturated fats while maintaining a low intake of trans fatty acids.” The researchers also note, “Increased intakes of polyunsaturated fat also probably explain most of the major declines in coronary mortality in the United States, United Kingdom, and Australia over several decades.”

This study confirms the findings of numerous research studies which suggest that making simple changes in the diet - such as choosing a soft, trans fat-free margarine in place of butter - can make a difference in lowering cholesterol levels and an even bigger difference in one's risk of heart disease.

Other studies in the United States have found that the intake ratio of dietary saturated to unsaturated fats is inversely related to the incidence of heart disease. That is one reason why the American Heart Association continues to confirm that lifestyle changes, including changes in diet, can help reduce risk for coronary heart disease, the number one killer of American males and females.

Zatonski, W, Willett, W. Changes in dietary fat and declining coronary heart disease in Poland: population based study. British Medical Journal. July 23, 2005. 331:187-188.

Research has shown that fat begins building up in the walls of the arteries (known as arteriosclerosis) during childhood. Research also has shown that the majority of children (including preschoolers) are eating too much fat and saturated fat, and nearly half of teens eat more than the recommended level of dietary cholesterol each day.

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