Cardiovascular Risk and Dairy Products: Lessons from the Food Matrix

Note that this presentation is free of charge and accessible to both CNS members and non-members. 

By the end of the webinar, participants will:

• Better understand the limitations of the nutrient-based approach to healthy eating and the importance of considering the food matrix/whole food effect;
• Have an up-to-date perspective on the saturated fatty acid (SFA)/cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk debate;
• Understand how the use of metabolomics can further advance our understanding of the health effects of dairy products.

Key topics addressed:

• Overview of recent evidence on the association between dietary SFA and CVD health;
• The place of fatty acids in a healthy diet, including:
  • The contributions of different food groups to the SFA intake of Canadians;
  • The potential effects of the food matrix/whole food effect on CVD risk;
  • The relevance of comprehensive, food-based recommendations rather than a nutrient-based focus for improving populational health.

Key findings:

• In a multicenter, crossover, randomized controlled trial with 92 participants, cheese was found to have a differential effect on LDL cholesterol than butter, thus suggesting that the food matrix may modify the cardiometabolic effect of saturated fat on health.¹
• According to a study using data from the 2015 CCHS, “other foods” (those not included as a part of the Canadian Food Guide) contribute 44.2% of the saturated fat in the diets of Canadians, while meat and alternatives contribute 24.5% and milk and alternatives, 23.3%.²
• Using 2015 CCHS data in a model substituting foods high in SFA with a corresponding low SFA/high unsaturated fatty acid replacement food, replacements in the ‘other foods’ category showed the greatest potential for reaching the SFA target: ²
  • Substituting the “other foods” category accounted for most of the predicted reduction in usual SFA intakes among Canadians, with 82% achieving the recommended SFA target (less than 10% of total energy);
  • Substituting dairy or meat only led to 62.6% and 54.3% achieving SFA targets, respectively.
• Shifting the focus from nutrient-based recommendations to a more comprehensive dietary pattern-based approach may be more beneficial for health and may in turn encourage consumers to make food-based choices.
• A score based on 38 metabolites, which were identified as being associated with dairy intake, showed an inverse association with type 2 diabetes risk in Spanish and US populations.³

References

1. Brassard D et al. Comparison of the impact of SFAs from cheese and butter on cardiometabolic risk factors: a randomized controlled trial. The American journal of clinical nutrition 2017;105(4):800-809.
2. Harrison S et al. Consumption and sources of saturated fatty acids according to the 2019 Canada Food Guide: data from the 2015 Canadian Community Health Survey. Nutrients 2019;11(9):1964.
3. Drouin-Chartier JP et al. Dairy consumption, plasma metabolites, and risk of type 2 diabetes. The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition 2021;114(1):163-174.