Replacement of saturated fatty acids from meat by dairy sources in relation to incident cardiovascular disease: the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition (EPIC)-Norfolk study

Abstract

Background: Prospective observational data revealed lower cardiovascular disease (CVD) incidence with modeled replacement of saturated fatty acids (SFAs) from total meat by total dairy, but it is unknown what the associations are of replacing SFA from types of meat by types of dairy with CVD incidence.

Objectives: This study aimed to investigate the associations of replacing SFAs from total, red, processed, and poultry meat by SFAs from total dairy, milk, cheese, and yogurt with the incidence of CVD.

Methods: We analyzed longitudinal data from 21,841 participants of the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition-Norfolk study (56.4% female; age, 40-79 y). Dietary data were collected by food frequency questionnaires at baseline (1993-1997). Incident fatal or nonfatal CVD (n = 5902), coronary artery disease (CAD; n = 4215), stroke (total: n = 2544; ischemic: n = 1113; hemorrhagic: n = 449) were identified up to 2018. Hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were estimated using Cox regression for risk associated with the replacement of 2.5% of energy from SFAs from meat by dairy, adjusted for sociodemographic, lifestyle, energy, dietary, and cardiometabolic factors.

Results: Replacing SFAs from total meat by total dairy was associated with a lower CVD incidence (HR: 0.89; 95% CI: 0.82, 0.96) and CAD (HR: 0.88; 95% CI: 0.80, 0.96). Replacing SFAs from processed meat by cheese was associated with lower CVD (HR: 0.77; 95% CI: 0.68, 0.88); CAD (HR: 0.77; 95% CI: 0.66, 0.90), and stroke (HR: 0.81; 95% CI: 0.67, 0.99). Similarly, replacing SFAs from red meat by cheese was associated with lower CVD (HR: 0.86; 95% CI: 0.76, 0.97). Higher incidence of stroke was found with replacement of SFAs from poultry by milk (HR: 2.06; 95% CI: 1.09, 3.89), yogurt (HR: 2.55; 95% CI: 1.27, 5.13), or cheese (HR: 1.96; 95% CI: 1.04, 3.70), but the CIs were relatively large owing to low, narrow range of poultry SFA intakes.

Conclusions: Findings indicate that different SFA-rich foods at baseline have differential associations with CVD risk. If confirmed by further studies, these findings could be used to inform specific food-based dietary guidance.

Keywords: adults; cardiovascular disease; cheese; dairy; meat; milk; prospective study; replacement; saturated fatty acids; yogurt.