Intake of milk fat, reflected in adipose tissue fatty acids and risk of myocardial infarction: a case-control study.

OBJECTIVE

To study the association between content of fatty acids from milk fat (14:0, 15:0 and 17:0) in adipose tissue and risk of a first myocardial infarction (MI).

DESIGN AND SUBJECTS

A case-control study with 99 patients and 98 population controls both men and postmenopausal women, age 45-75 year. Adipose tissue fatty acids were determined by gas-liquid chromatography.

RESULTS

The content of 14:0, 14:1, 15:0, 17:0 and 17:1 were all significantly higher in adipose tissue of controls than of the patients. Age and sex adjusted odds ratios (OR) for MI were significantly reduced with increasing quartiles of 14:0, 14:1, 15:0 and 17:1 in adipose tissue, but except for 15:0 (OR = 0.36, 95% CI 0.13-0.99), the trend was no longer significant after further adjustment for waist-to-hip ratio, smoking and family history for coronary heart disease. Correlations between 14:0 and 15:0 in adipose tissue, and waist-to-hip ratio were significantly negative (r = -0.22 for both, P < 0.01).

CONCLUSION

Our study suggests that intake of dairy fat or some other component of dairy products, as reflected by C15:0 as marker in adipose tissue, may protect persons at increased risk from having a first MI, and that the causal effects may rely on other factors than serum cholesterol.

SPONSORSHIP

Throne Holst's foundation for Nutrition Research, Research Council of Norway, The Norwegian Association of Margarine Producers, DeNoFa Fabriker A/S, TINE BA.