Dietary fatty acids and arteriosclerosis

Dietary fatty acids show different molecular structures and thus physicochemical properties of importance regarding lipid metabolism and atherogenesis. Intake of dietary fatty acids is associated with several risk factors for arteriosclerosis including fasting and postprandial plasma lipids and lipoproteins, obesity and thrombosis. Consumption of saturated fatty acids is detrimental while that of monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fatty acids lowers the incidence of coronary heart disease, but the respective influence of the various unsaturated fatty acids ingested is still discussed. The importance of the interaction between the human gene pool and dietary fatty acids is emerging.