Journal Name:
Am Journal of Epidemiology
Article Title:
The diet and 15-year death rate in the seven countries study
Date Written:
1986
Volume:
124
Number:
6
Page:
903
Author(s):
Keys, A.; Menotti, A.; Karvonen, M.; Aravanis, C.; Blackburn, H.; Buzina, R.; Djordjevic, B.; Dontas, A.; Fidanza, F.; Keys, M.; Kromhout, D.; Nedeljkovic, S.; Punsar, S.; Seccareccia, F.; Toshima, H.
Article:
The seven countries study commenced in approximately 1960 and consisted of 11,579 men ages 40-59 considered healthy upon entry into the study. Participants spanned fifteen cohorts in seven countries (four regions) and were followed for close to 20 years. Data obtained from this study has been utilized extensively over the years to investigate the association between a number of variables and disease risk. The objective of the present study was to use data from the seven countries study to examine relationships between nutrients that contribute energy to the diet (mainly fat) and deaths from all causes, cancer, stroke, and coronary heart disease (CHD). This report focused on the vital status at the end of 15 years, when almost 20% of the participants had died.
Upon data analysis, it was observed that death rates differed among cohorts. Differences in mean age, blood pressure, serum cholesterol, and smoking habits explained 46% of variance in death rate from all causes, 80% from CHD, 35% from cancer, and 45% from stroke. Death rate differences were unrelated to cohort differences in mean relative body weight, fatness, and physical activity. The cohorts did, however, differ in average diets. A positive association was observed between death rates and average percentage of dietary energy from saturated fatty acids (SFA), while a negative association was observed between dietary energy obtained from monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFA). No association was observed between polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA), protein, carbohydrate, or alcohol intake and death rate. All death rates were negatively related to the ratio of MUFA to SFA. All cause and deaths from CHD were low in cohorts with olive oil (rich in MUFA) as the primary dietary fat.
Although the relationships found in this study are statistically important, they are not necessarily casual. It is therefore urged that evaluation of risk associated with specified variables should consider the relative risks found in comparisons of populations as well as the risks of the individuals within those populations., ,
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