Probing effects of cooking oils on heart disease
*Summit declares red palm oil healthful, seeks heart-friendly choices in food consumption *Endorses ginger, garlic, garden eggs, others
An expert panel on lipids and cardiovascular health in the Nigerian Population has alerted to the increase in prevalence of Non Communicable Diseases (NCDS), especially Cardiovascular Disease (CD) in Nigeria, and the documented evidence of deleterious effects of lipids (fats and oil). The experts from a range of relevant disciplines in a report published in July 2017 edition of the European Journal of Nutrition & Food Safety called for an urgent need to advocate for the general public and health professionals to make heart-friendly choices in food consumption even as they declared palm oil healthful. They said red palm oil should be used within the limits of allowed total daily calorie intake from fats, as there is as yet no scientific evidence that shows that consumption of red palm oil, as part of a healthy balanced diet is harmful. CHUKWUMA MUANYA, Assistant Editor, writes.
THE verdict is out: More Nigerians are dying today of heart-related diseases due to the deleterious effects of cooking oils.
Recent studies have shown that more people die annually from Cardiovascular Diseases (CVDS) than from any other cause and more than 80 per cent of the global burden of CVD occur in low- and middle-income countries.
CVD is a class of diseases that involve the heart or blood vessels. CVD includes coronary artery diseases (CAD) such as angina and myocardial infarction (commonly known as a heart attack). Other CVDS include stroke, heart failure, hypertensive heart disease, rheumatic heart disease, cardiomyopathy, heart arrhythmia, congenital heart disease, valvular heart disease, carditis, aortic aneurysms, peripheral artery disease, thromboembolic disease, and venous thrombosis.
A new study by team of medical experts shows that coronary heart disease (CHD) deaths in Nigeria reached 53,836 or 2.82 per cent of total deaths, and are responsible for the greatest proportion of the total mortality due from non-communicable diseases (NCD). While in economically stable countries, death from cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases come from long and productive life, in developing countries almost half of such deaths occur among people in the prime of their age.
According to the study titled “Consensus Summit: Lipids and Cardiovascular Health in the Nigerian Population,” the upsurge of these diseases in the developing countries is as a result of increasing behavioral risk factors such as unhealthy nutrition, physical inactivity, tobacco use and alcohol which are modified by social determinants like poverty, urbanization and globalization.
The study conducted by team of researchers from various health and medical institutions in Nigeria and The Netherlands noted that other factors that can modulate predisposition include ageing and genetics. They, however, said most cardiovascular diseases can be prevented by addressing behavioral risk factors The experts observed that the publication of the Federal Ministry of Health (FMOH), Nigeria - National Nutrition Guidelines on Non-communicable Diseases Prevention, Control and Management address these issues.
The panel of experts include: Prof. Olujimi O. Akinkugbe, Dr. Kinsley Kayode Akinroye, Dr. O. Omueti and Dr. O. Mobolaji-lawal of the Nigerian Heart Foundation (NHF), Nigeria; Dr. Y. A. Olukosi and Dr. O. Idigbe of the Nigerian Institute of Medical Research (NIMR), Yaba, Nigeria; Prof. T. Atinmo of the Department of Human Nutrition, University of Ibadan, Oyo State, Nigeria; Dr. C. F. Babasola, the Lead Nutrition Consultant, Xpert Solutions,
Nigeria; Dr. A. Isah of the Department of Medicine, Clinical Pharmacology and Therapeutics, University of Benin, Edo State, Nigeria; Dr. C. O. Isokpunwu and O. Okojie of the Department of Nutrition, Federal Ministry of Health (FMOH), Nigeria; Dr. A. Nasidi of the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), Abuja, Nigeria; Dr. O. J. Odia of the Department of Medicine, University of Port-harcourt, Rivers State, Nigeria; O. B. Ogunmoyela of the Post Graduate School, Bells University of Technology, Ota, Ogun State, Nigeria; Dr. B. J. C. Onwubere of the Department of
Medicine, University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital Enugu, Enugu State, Nigeria; Prof. Akin Osibogun of the Department of Community Health, College of Medicine, University of Lagos, Lagos State, Nigeria; and R. Schilpzand of Choices International Foundation, The Netherlands.
According to the study, dietary fats and oils provide calories, essential fatty acids and are sources of fat-soluble vitamins A,D, E, and K. However the lipid content of dietary fats and oils have a bearing on serum lipid profile, as dyslipidemia is associated with CVD risk.
They, however, noted that the effects of both the amount and quality of dietary fat have yielded conflicting results. Saturated fatty acids are associated with large less dense Low Density Lipo-protein (LDL) also known as ‘bad’ cholesterol while carbohy- drates are associated with the denser small LDL particles that predispose to CVD. Positive relationship between CVD mortality and raised total cholesterol and raised total triglycerides at younger ages is reversed in seniors.
In current times, low High Density Lipo-protein (HDL)/ ‘good’ cholesterol of about 1 mmol/l and high total cholesterol: HDL cholesterol ratio or total triglyceride: HDL cholesterol ratio are the best-known indicators of CVD risk. Plasma concentration of apolipoprotein B the major protein carrier of LDL, Intermediate Density lipoprotein (IDL) and very low-density lipoprotein (VLDL), indicates the total number of potentially atherogenic particles, correlating with the non- HDL cholesterol levels. The ratio of apo B with apolipoprotein A-1 the major protein in HDL is best below 0.9 for men and 0.8 for women. Foods rich in saturated fatty acids (SFA), trans fatty acids, foods with high glycemic index or load, have been considered unhealthy, whereas, monounsaturated fatty acids (MUF A) and polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) are considered beneficial.