Journal Name:
Am. J. Cardiol.
Article Title:
Dietary omega-3 fatty acid intake and cardiovascular risk
Date Written:
2006
Volume:
98S
Number:
Page:
3i
Author(s):
Psota, TL.; Gebauer, SK.; Kris-Etherton, PM.
Article:
Data from epidemiologic and controlled intervention studies have reported beneficial effects of omega 3 fatty acids, both marine and plant derived, on a number of CVD end-points including fatal and nonfatal myocardial infarction (MI), sudden cardiac death, and all-cause mortality. Although this paper reviews the available evidence supporting these effects for all omega 3�s, the information presented in this abstract is specific to plant based ALA.
The MFRIT study, which was an interventional study in men at risk for coronary artery disease (CAD) reported a significant inverse relationship between CVD mortality and baseline intake of dietary omega 3 fatty acids after 10.5 years of follow-up. Epidemiologic evidence supports a correlation between a 1 g/day increase in ALA intake and a reduction in CAD incidence of 16%. In a cohort of 76,283 women involved in the Nurses Health Study, a significant reduction in 10-year CAD mortality was associated with increasing intakes of ALA. In the Lyon Diet Heart Study, patients who had suffered a previous myocardial infarction and subsequently received a margarine with ALA (1.8g/d) exhibited a decreased risk for all-cause mortality.
Based on dietary estimates for fats and fatty acids, the mean ALA intake in US men is 1.7g/day and 1.3g/day for women. The Institute of Medicine of the National Acadamies has set a dietary recommendation for ALA of 1.6g/day for men and 1.1g/day for women. This represents approximately 0.6% of energy intake for sedentary adults. The acceptable Macronutrient Distribution Range, which is the range of intake in a nutritionally adequate diet for a particular macronutrient that is associated with reduced risk of chronic disease, for ALA is 0.6% to 1.2% of calories. The dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee (DGAC) Report 2005 recommends an ALA intake between 0.6% and 1.2% of calories. The most important sources of plant based omega 3 ALA include flaxseed, flaxseed oil, canola oil, walnuts, and soybean oil., , ,
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