EE. UU. kill the cholesterol as a cause of cardiovascular disease

• US health authorities. UU. They catalogued to this indication, present for decades, as "the largest ever medical scam".
• American scientists introduce sugars as responsible for coronary disease.
• In the month of the heart, academic national call to take caution with these new recommendations.

Cholesterol "is not a nutrient of concern" in the emergence of diseases of the heart, He said recently the U.S. Department of agriculture. UU. -responsible for developing the dietary guidelines for Americans (https://health.gov/dietaryguidelines/2015/)- making a radical shift in the nutritional information known so far. Even, the article says that the main factor to consider in the field of cardiovascular prevention is the consumption of sugars. In this respect, within the framework of the month of the heart, the DRA. Claudia Bambs, Chilean researcher of the Advanced Center for chronic diseases, ACCDIS, He pointed out that this new recommendation should be carefully analyzed by the scientific community and the general population.

"Striking this ad by North American researchers about the historical relationship between cholesterol and cardiovascular disease, with this rotation to put focus on the regulation of the sugar. He doesn't surprise this pendulum effect that is intended to replace the villain cholesterol by a new villain called sugar. This does not mean that both cholesterol and sugars are compounds that the population can consume en masse without any perception of risk, but rather, they are taking some research groups in the world and you need to take them cautiously", explained the medical practitioner and academic of the Pontifical Catholic University of Chile.

However, Dr. George V. Mann, Deputy Director of the Framingham study for the incidence and prevalence of cardiovascular disease and its risk factors that, "saturated fats and cholesterol in the diet are not the cause of coronary heart disease. This myth is the greatest deception of the century, Perhaps of any century". However, National scientists do not share these statements and call the population to follow these directions in moderation.

The academic Chilean explains that from the point of view of power, American guidelines have historically left much to be desired and its population statistics show that the US is not the best model to follow from the nutritional point of view. In contrast, There are other countries that are worth considering, as Spain with its model of power based on a Mediterranean pattern, and Japan that promotes the consumption of a variety of foods daily.

Figures in Chile

According to figures supplied by the Ministry of health, in Chile are daily killed 45 people as a result of cardiovascular accidents, figures that concern to the Director and principal investigator of ACCDiS, Dr. Sergio Lavandero. "Currently, a third of Chileans dies as a result of cardiovascular disease, so it is essential to bring about a change in habits from the inside of the families", explains theProfessor of the University of Chile. In addition, about 30% of the population features of overweight or obesity, i.e., they are potential cardiovascular disease patients, so it is necessary to change the habits of diet and physical activity of Chileans.

The new "truth" about cholesterol

The international publication referred to previously, the dietary guidelines recommend limiting cholesterol intake to no more than 300 milligrams per day. "However, the available evidence does not show a significant relationship between the consumption of dietary cholesterol and blood cholesterol, According to the American Heart Association (AHA) and the American College of Cardiology (ACC)”.

Current indications point that the metabolism of the organism works with 950 mg of cholesterol daily, which is produced by the liver. 15% of the total is obtained by feeding. In practice, It means that butter and products high in saturated fats are classified henceforth as 'safe' and they have been officially removed from the list of nutrients of concern.

The document also makes reference to that if there is an intake less fat than those required, the liver must work harder to maintain adequate levels. However, If they are high, This can work perfectly, that would eliminate the terms of "good" and "bad" cholesterol.

A new villain: sugars

"The Washington Post" points out that the Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee, by not warning the population against the consumption of foods high in cholesterol will focus on sugar as the main substance of concern at the population level.

The Dra. Bambs, epidemiologist in the Department of public health of the Faculty of Medicine of the PUC, He explains that you despite the new American recommendations tend to create confusion, both the scientific evidence and common sense indicate that it is much more reasonable to target the efforts towards patterns of food and portion control, to focus on a single nutrient.

On the other hand, efforts to eliminate or reduce the sugars in the fight against cardiovascular disease can lead to an increase in the consumption of non-caloric sweeteners in the population.

Dr. Rodrigo Troncoso, ACCDiS researcher and academic of the University of Chile INTA, He explains that there is a controversy about the effects that can cause non-caloric sweeteners in the long term in the body, including weight gain, onset of type 2 diabetes and metabolic syndrome.

Dr. Troncoso said that some authors have described - through studies in animal and cell models- which sweeteners, mainly the sucralose can act directly at the level of the pancreas, generating an increase in insulin.

Eating patterns

On the other hand, There are experiences in European countries such as Spain, dealing with a completely different concept, called eating patterns. These, rather than put the focus in a nutrient in particular, for a time it may be cholesterol, sugars or any other, focus feed improvement programmes through employers that promote the consumption of a variety of foods, in appropriate portions. Like this, prevention begins with a balanced diet, based on the quality of the food, and combined with healthy habits. This is the most efficient way to combat overweight and obesity, one of the most important cardiovascular risk factors. "We know that diet is the worst risk factors, Therefore it is worth to highlight it, Chile is a country rich in natural foods industry is processing them, eliminating its nutritional value and modifying them to improve the taste and other characteristics, which is highly detrimental for the health human and especially for the heart", says Dr. Rodrigo Troncoso.

To improve the population's access to spaces that promote physical activity and healthy eating, especially in the most vulnerable, the creation of public policies is required, warned Dr. Claudia Bambs. "Require social access to food policies, because today is easier and cheaper to consume processed foods access to healthy products such as fruits, vegetables, vegetables or fish, which is perfectly possible in Chile considering that we are a country with a climate and geography favouring the production locally of this type of food. So we need structural changes". (By: María Mercedes Barraza C. Agencia: Ines Llambias communications).