About the project
Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) are the most common cause of death worldwide and stand for approximately 31 % of all deaths.
Saturated fat intake increases LDL-cholesterol, a major risk factor for CVDs. Milk fat from cow consists of approximately 65 % saturated fatty acids, making dairy products account for 42 % of the total intake of saturated fat in Norway.
However, dairy products are a heterogeneous food group with major differences in nutrient composition and some are fermented, and others are not. Human intervention studies with butter have resulted in raised levels of LDL cholesterol in plasma. Clinical trials with cheese have, however, not confirmed the effect seen from butter and neither has studies on milk, independent of fat content.
Further, the epidemiological data on dairy products and risk of CVD or mortality is inconclusive. Two recent cohorts are pointing at an association between high intake of milk and increased risk of mortality, but most studies have indicated a decreased CVD risk from intake of fermented dairy products such as cheese and yoghurt. Non-fasting triglycerides (TG) levels are a significant risk indicator for CHD. As most people eat several times per day, the major percentage of the daily 24 hours is spent in a postprandial state.
How different dairy foods affect postprandial lipemia is therefore a research area of great relevance and importance for cardiovascular health prediction.
Objectives
To study if meals with different dairy products with the same fatty acid composition and amount of fat have different effect on lipids and inflammation after a meal (in the post-prandial period).
Financing
The project is financed as an innovation project with the industry via NFR and TINE. In addition, the study has received support from the University of Oslo and the Throne-Holst foundation.
Cooperation
This is a collaborative project between UiO and TINE.