Association of dietary fats with ischemic heart disease (IHD): a case-control study

Background: This study aimed to investigate the association between different types of dietary fats with
ischemic heart disease (IHD). Methods: This case-control study was conducted on 443 cases and 453
controls aged 40-80 years in Tehran, Iran. The semi-quantitative 237-item food frequency questionnaire
(FFQ) was used to assess the amount of food intake. Nutritionist IV was applied to test the amount of
consumption of dietary fats. Results: The case group had a lower intake of docosahexaenoic acid (DHA)
(11.36 ± 12.58 vs. 14.19 ± 19.57, P = 0.01) than the control group. A negative association was found
between IHD and DHA (OR 0.98, CI 95% 0.97-0.99, P = 0.01). No significant association was observed
between IHD with the intake of cholesterol, trans fatty acids (TFA), saturated fatty acids (SFA),
monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFA), polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA), eicosatetraenoic acid (EPA),
and α-Linolenic acid (ALA). Conclusion: It was found that DHA may reduce the risk of IHD, whereas there
was no significant association between other types of dietary fats with the odds of IHD. If the results of
this study are confirmed in future research, a higher intake of DHA in diet can be recommended as a
strategy to prevent IHD events.