news
Stanol/sterol ester can reduce cholesterol Fast food linked to
There is good evidence that plant stanol/sterol ester (i.e. found in
high salt preference
Benecol or Flora proactiv products) can reduce levels of low-density li-
poprotein (LDL) cholesterol. This is the type of cholesterol associated with
Scientists have found that teenag-
an increased risk of heart disease. Two new studies have developed this
ers who regularly eat fast foods
evidence base further.
show a higher preference for salt.
The study of 70 Korean teenag-
Greek scientists compared the ent levels of phytosterol to find out how
ers (aged 12-13 years) estimated
lipid-lowering effects of plant stanol much was required for a cholesterol-
food intakes using a food frequency
ester with that of a Mediterranean diet. lowering effect. Eighteen subjects
questionnaire. Salt preference was
Patients with raised cholesterol levels followed a standardised diet which
determined by offering soups con-
(n=150), were randomly allocated to was supplemented with 59mg, 459mg,
taining different levels of salt.
one of three diets; (1) regular choles- or 2,059mg per day of phytosterol.
Teenagers with a higher prefer-
terol-lowering; (2) Mediterranean; (3) Compared with the low phytosterol
ence for saltier soup were more likely
supplemented with 2g per day plant diet (59mg/day), cholesterol excre-
to have a regular intake of salty fast
stanol ester. Blood lipid levels were stud- tion increased by 36 percent with the
foods, such as pizza and hamburg-
ied before and after the four-month 459mg phytosterol diet and by 74 per-
ers. Although these are interesting
intervention. cent with the 2,059mg phytosterol diet.
findings, controlled research is now
Subjects got the most benefit from Blood levels ofLDL cholesterol reduced
needed to establish if fast food
the plant stanol ester and Mediter- significantly only with the highest phy-
consumption actually encourages a
ranean diets. LDL cholesterol levels tosterol diet. This suggests that, while
preference for salt or whether there
reduced by 16 per cent and the esti- benefits are seen at 0.5g of phytosterol,
is simply a non-causal association
mated risk of heart disease reduced by at least 2g per day is needed before
between the two.
26-30 percent. The authors concluded LDL cholesterol is significantly reduced.
For more information see: Kim et
that people with high LDL cholesterol For more information see: Athyros VG
al. (2009) Journal of Human Nutrition
who are not eating a Mediterranean (2009) Nutrition Metabolism & Cardio-
& Dietetics Vol 22: pg 475-80.
diet may benefit from using products vascular Diseases [Epub ahead of print]
containing plant stanol ester. and Racette SB (2010) American Jour-
A second study tested three differ- nal of Clinical Nutrition Vol 91: pg 32-38.
Soft drinks and
Latest on omega-3s
weight gain in
Different dietary fats can influence heart health. A new animal study has
adolescents
looked at how omega-3s and trans fatty acids affect the risk of death
In a new five-year longitudinal study,
from heart disease. Animals eating a diet rich in trans fats were less
called ‘Project EAT’, scientists studied
likely to survive coronary events whilst those eating a diet enriched with
whether beverage consumption was
omega-3 fats had improved survival rates.
linked to obesity risk in teenagers.
These results suggest that a diet and foetal health, pregnant women Nearly 2,000 teenagers were
rich in omega-3 fats may improve should perhaps limit their intake recruited and asked to complete
survival after experiencing a heart of omega-6s or take an omega-3 food frequency questionnaires to
attack, possibly by reducing arterial supplement to boost intakes. assess their diets. Body Mass Index, an
inflammation and the development The beneficial effects of EPA and indicator of obesity, was measured at
of arterial plaques. Further studies DHA have been further demonstrat- the start and the end of the study.
in humans are needed to reinforce ed in a follow-up survey of 304 older It was found that children who
these findings. adults (mean age 75 years). Those drank little or no milk gained more
In another study, Canadian eating the highest intakes of fish rich weight than regular milk-drinkers.
scientists analysed exposure to fatty in EPA and DHA had improved cog- Apart from this, beverage consump-
acids in 105 pregnant women (38 nitive function. tion was not related to weight gain
weeks into their pregnancy) using For more information see: Rafat A over the study period. This contradicts
a combination of food frequency et al. (2009) British Journal of Nutri- the findings of earlier longitudinal
questionnaires and blood samples. tion Vol 102: pg 1188-19; Friesen RW studies which have reported links
Higher intakes of the omega-6 fatty et al. (2010) American Journal of between soft drinks and obesity risk in
acid, linoleic acid, seemed to com- Clinical Nutrition Vol 91: pg 23-31 and children.
pete with omega-3 fatty acids. As Gonzalez S et al. (2009) International For more information see: Vansel-
omega-3s, such as EPA and DHA, are Journal of Food Science & Nutrition ow MS et al. (2009) American Journal
particularly beneficial to maternal [Epub ahead of print]. of Clinical Nutrition. Vol 90: pg 1489-95
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4 NHDmag.com Mar '10 - issue 52
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