Exp Gerontol. 2005 Apr;40(4):335-43.
Unsaturated fatty acids intake and all-causes mortality: a 8.5-year
follow-up of the Italian Longitudinal Study on Aging.
Solfrizzi V, D'Introno A, Colacicco AM, Capurso C, Palasciano R, Capurso S,
Torres F, Capurso A, Panza F.
Department of Geriatrics, Center for Lipoprotein Metabolism, University of
Bari Policlinico, Piazza G. Cesare, 11-70124 Bari, Italy.
Recent evidence suggested a protective role of dietary monounsaturated fatty
acids (MUFA) and polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) intakes against several
chronic diseases and, therefore, an increased human longevity. After a
median follow-up of 8.5 years, we investigated the possible role of MUFA,
PUFA, and other selected food groups in protecting against all-causes
mortality in a population-based, prospective study, conducted in one of the
eight centers of the Italian Longitudinal Study on Aging (ILSA),
Casamassima, Bari, Italy. Out of 704 elderly subjects (65-84 years), 278
nondemented persons agreed to participate at the first survey (1992-1993).
During the follow-up, there were 91 deaths. A semi-quantitative food
frequency questionnaire evaluating macronutrient daily intakes were
performed at the first survey. Higher MUFA intake was associated with an
increase of survival (hazard ratio 0.81, 95% CI 0.66-0.99), a higher
unsaturated fatty acids (UFA) to SFA ratio (hazard ratio 1.20, 95% CI
0.99-1.45) increased total mortality only marginally, while no effect about
other selected food groups were found. In conclusion, in this prospective
study on older nondemented subjects with a typical Mediterranean diet, a
higher MUFA intake increased survival, while a higher UFA/SFA ratio
increased total mortality, but only marginally. PMID: 15820615
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Juhana