Coronary Heart Disease
Dietary intake of alpha-linolenic acid and risk of fatal ischemic heart
disease among women.
Hu FB; Stampfer MJ; Manson JE; Rimm EB; Wolk A; Colditz GA; Hennekens
CH; Willett WC
American Journal of Clinical Nutrition 1999 May;69(5):890-7
BACKGROUND: Experimental studies in laboratory animals and humans suggest
that alpha-linolenic acid (18:3n-3) may reduce the risk of arrhythmia.
OBJECTIVE: The objective was to examine the association between dietary
intake of alpha-linolenic acid and risk of fatal ischemic heart disease
(IHD). DESIGN: This was a prospective cohort study. The intake of alpha-linolenic
acid was derived from a 116-item food-frequency questionnaire completed
in 1984 by 76283 women without previously diagnosed cancer or cardiovascular
disease. RESULTS: During 10 y of follow-up, we documented 232 cases of
fatal IHD and 597 cases of nonfatal myocardial infarction. After adjustment
for age, standard coronary risk factors, and dietary intake of linoleic
acid and other nutrients, a higher intake of alpha-linolenic acid was
associated with a lower relative risk (RR) of fatal IHD; the RRs from
the lowest to highest quintiles were 1.0, 0.99, 0.90, 0.67, and 0.55 (95%
CI: 0.32, 0.94; P for trend = 0.01). For nonfatal myocardial infarction
there was only a modest, nonsignificant trend toward a reduced risk when
extreme quintiles were compared (RR: 0.85; 95% CI: 0.61, 1.19; P for trend
= 0.50). A higher intake of oil and vinegar salad dressing, an important
source of alpha-linolenic acid, was associated with reduced risk of fatal
IHD when women who consumed this food > or =5-6 times/wk were compared
with those who rarely consumed this food (RR: 0.46; 95% CI: 0.27, 0.76;
P for trend = 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: This study supports the hypothesis
that a higher intake of alpha-linolenic acid is protective against fatal
IHD. Higher consumption of foods such as oil-based salad dressing that
provide polyunsaturated fats, including alpha-linolenic acid, may reduce
the risk of fatal IHD.
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