From the latest Nutrition New Focus <[log in to unmask]>

February 20, 2002
NUTRITION NEWS FOCUS
"Nutrition news is important.  We help you understand it!"

Today's Topic: Fatty Food Isn't Always Bad

A number of headlines touted this finding in relation to heart disease
after an article was published in the December 2001 issue of the
American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.  The study was done on eating
habits of Fulani seminomadic cattle herders in Nigeria.  About 40 men
and 80 women were studied.  Nearly half their energy came from fat and
mostly saturated fat, at that.  The diet was marginal in vitamins B12,
B6, folate, and C.

The body mass index of these people averaged 20, in contrast to most
Western countries where only a few percent are that low and the
average is 25.  This results from high physical activity and
relatively low calorie intake.
< http://www.ajcn.org/cgi/content/abstract/74/6/730 >

HERE'S WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW: It should not be surprising
that lots of physical activity and low energy intake can eliminate any
adverse effects of high saturated fat intake on serum lipids.  Even
though saturated fat intake was double the recommended limits for
Western countries, the cardiovascular risk profile was excellent for
these people.  But it is not likely most of us will exchange our
comfort for this life style.



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