he American Heart Association suggests that chicken, fish and beans are more heart-healthier than red meats. But a new study suggests that eating too much of chicken and fish may increase risk of congestive heart failure (CHF).Fumiaki Imamura from Harvard School of Public Health in Boston, MA conducted the study and found some types of fatty acids commonly found in fish, poultry, whole grains, and mustard are positively associated with increased risk of congestive heart disease.
The researchers said in their study report released in the journal Circulation that it has been known for decades that dietary long-chain monounsaturated fatty acids (LCMUFA) cause cardiotoxicity in animals, which is why Canada developed Canadian-oil-low-in-erucic-acid (Canola) from rapeseed.
The current study was intended to examine the association of serum phospholipid LCMUFA, specifically, three types 20:1, 22:1 and 24:1 and incidence of congestive heart failure in humans.
For the study, the researchers analysed data from two independent cohorts, the Cardiovascular Health Study (CHS) and the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities Study Minnesota subcohort (ARIC). In CHS, 997 of the 3694 participants at a mean age of 75 years suffered congestive heart failure during a 10-year follow-up and in ARIC, 330 cases among 3577 participants at a mean age of 54 years developed the disease during a 18-year follow-up.
In CHS, those in the highest quintile of serum 22:1 and 24:1 fatty acids were found 34 and 57 percent more likely to develop congestive heart failure, respectively, compared with those in the lowest quintile and in ARIC, those in the highest quintile were 75 and 92 percent more likely to suffer congestive heart failure.
The researchers further studied the association between serum concentrations of LCMUFA in both CHS and ARIC and dietary sources of these fatty acids in the 2003-2010 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES).
They found "A variety of foods related to circulating LCMUFA in CHS and ARIC, consistent with food sources of LCMUFA in NHANES, including fish, poultry, meats, whole grains, and mustard."
They concluded "Higher circulating levels of 22:1 and 24:1, with apparently diverse dietary sources, were associated with incident CHF in two independent cohorts, suggesting possible cardiotoxicity of LCMUFA in humans
