[jccgf]

Anything new here?

Evolutionary aspects of diet, the omega-6/omega-3 ratio and genetic variation: nutritional implications for chronic diseases. PMID: 17045449 Aug 2006

Simopoulos AP.
The Center for Genetics, Nutrition and Health, 2001 S Street, NW, Suite 530, 20009 Washington, DC, USA.

Anthropological and epidemiological studies and studies at the molecular level indicate that human beings evolved on a diet with a ratio of omega-6 to omega-3 essential fatty acids (EFA) of ~1 whereas in Western diets the ratio is 15/1 to 16.7/1. A high omega-6/omega-3 ratio, as is found in today's Western diets, promotes the pathogenesis of many diseases, including cardiovascular disease, cancer, osteoporosis, and inflammatory and autoimmune diseases, whereas increased levels of omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) (a lower omega-6/omega-3 ratio), exert suppressive effects. Increased dietary intake of linoleic acid (LA) leads to oxidation of low-density lipoprotein (LDL), platelet aggregation, and interferes with the incorporation of EFA in cell membrane phospholipids. Both omega-6 and omega-3 fatty acids influence gene expression. Omega-3 fatty acids have anti-inflammatory effects, suppress interleukin 1beta (IL-1beta), tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNFalpha) and interleukin-6 (IL-6), whereas omega-6 fatty acids do not. Because inflammation is at the base of many chronic diseases, dietary intake of omega-3 fatty acids plays an important role in the manifestation of disease, particularly in persons with genetic variation, as for example in individuals with genetic variants at the 5-lipoxygenase (5-LO). Carotid intima media thickness (IMT) taken as a marker of the atherosclerotic burden is significantly increased, by 80%, in the variant group compared to carriers with the common allele, suggesting increased 5-LO promoter activity associated with the (variant) allele. Dietary arachidonic acid (AA) and LA increase the risk for cardiovascular disease in those with the variants, whereas dietary intake of eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) decrease the risk. A lower ratio of omega-6/omega-3 fatty acids is needed for the prevention and management of chronic diseases. Because of genetic variation, the optimal omega-6/omega-3 fatty acid ratio would vary with the disease under consideration.
PMID: 17045449

[mrsD]

She wrote the Omega Diet text. And is a long term (many years) expert on
the subject.

What is new here...is the reference to genetics.

And genetics play an important role. Here in USA many people are now
mixed genetically. And this is growing with time.

Not only are people from around the world intermarrying, but races are now also mixing. This complicates the genetics ALOT.

One may inherit a weakness for sodium maintenance (African decent),
inherit Celiac genes, blood type issues, etc.

There are books out there now that address this issue..
"Your Body Knows Best" by M.L Gittleman is a very good start to explain
how complex this issue really is for health, and diet and ethnicity.

Now that the attention is focusing on removing TransFats...this will help many people, those who do not visit the internet or know about the latest health issues. I just read that Denmark has banned all transfats.
http://www.hindu.com/thehindu/holnus...0610180310.htm
And NY City is trying to accomplish the same thing recently.

Transfats have caused untold misery and health woes for millions.

Thanks for bringing this new paper to our attention, here at this forum!
It is basically a very important fact. So basic that people don't even know about it!

[rose]

I hope this isn't redundant, but I learned recently that researchers were astounded when they saw how much better other nutrients are absorbed when some fat is included in a meal.

rose