Most polyunsaturated fatty acids in the diet are of the omega-6 (n-6) type. These lower serum LDL cholesterol and, in clinical trials, the risk of heart disease. In this issue of the Journal, Jakobsen et al (1) illuminate the relation between fatty acids and heart disease from the observational side. They pooled data on diet and the incidence of heart disease in 340,000 people from the United States, Scandinavia, and Israel. The non-US cohorts made up 17 of subjects but 40 of the coronary events. The reason is probably that the Scandinavians and Israelis were mostly men, whereas 80 of the Americans were women.
展开▼
