Mortality in vegetarians and non-vegetarians: a collaborative analysis of 8300 deaths among 76;000 men and women in five prospective studies

OBJECTIVE: To compare the mortality rates of vegetarians and non-vegetarians. DESIGN: Collaborative analysis using original data from five prospective studies. Death rate ratios for vegetarians compared to non-vegetarians were calculated for ischaemic heart disease; cerebrovascular disease; cancers of the stomach; large bowel; lung; breast and prostate; and for all causes of death. All results were […]

Mediterranean diet; lifestyle factors; and 10-year mortality in elderly men and women.

CONTEXT: Dietary patterns and lifestyle factors are associated with mortality from all causes; coronary heart disease; cardiovascular diseases; and cancer; but few studies have investigated these factors in combination. OBJECTIVE: To investigate the single and combined effect of Mediterranean diet; being physically active; moderate alcohol use; and nonsmoking on all-cause and cause-specific mortality in European […]

Fat in dietary guidelines around the world

Most countries throughout the world have developed nutrition guidelines in order to promote proper nutrition inside their borders. Although normally these guidelines include recommendations on dietary fat intake, these vary from country to country. Fat intake guidelines are usually affected by the level of affluence or poverty existing in the country and consequently sometimes these […]

Bioactive compounds in foods: their role in the prevention of cardiovascular disease and cancer

"Bioactive compounds" are extranutritional constituents that typically occur in small quantities in foods. They are being intensively studied to evaluate their effects on health. The impetus sparking this scientific inquiry was the result of many epidemiologic studies that have shown protective effects of plant-based diets on cardiovascular disease (CVD) and cancer. Many bioactive compounds have […]

High-monounsaturated fatty acid diets lower both plasma cholesterol and triacylglycerol concentrations.

BACKGROUND: Low-fat diets increase plasma triacylglycerol and decrease HDL-cholesterol concentrations; thereby potentially adversely affecting cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk. High-monounsaturated fatty acid (MUFA); cholesterol-lowering diets do not raise triacylglycerol or lower HDL cholesterol; but little is known about how peanut products; a rich source of MUFAs; affect CVD risk. OBJECTIVE: The present study compared the CVD […]

The effects of nuts on coronary heart disease risk.

Epidemiologic studies have consistently demonstrated beneficial effects of nut consumption on coronary heart disease (CHD) morbidity and mortality in different population groups. Clinical studies have reported total and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol-lowering effects of heart-healthy diets that contain various nuts or legume peanuts. It is evident that the favorable fatty acid profile of nuts (high in […]

Dietary antioxidant vitamins and death from coronary heart disease in post menopausal women.

BACKGROUND: The role of dietary antioxidant vitamins in preventing coronary heart disease has aroused considerable interest because of the knowledge that oxidative modification of low-density lipoprotein may promote atherosclerosis. METHODS. We studied 34;486 postmenopausal women with no cardiovascular disease who in early 1986 completed a questionnaire that assessed; among other factors; their intake of vitamins […]