Abstract
In epidemiological studies, dairy food consumption has been associated with minimal effect or decreased risk of some cardiometabolic diseases (CMD). However, current methods of dietary assessment do not provide objective and accurate measures of food intakes. Thus, the identification of valid and reliable biomarkers of dairy product intake is an important challenge to best determine the relationship between dairy consumption and health status. This review investigated potential biomarkers of dairy fat consumption, such as odd-chain, trans- and branched-chain fatty acids (FA), which may improve the assessment of full-fat dairy product consumption. Overall, the current use of serum/plasma FA as biomarkers of dairy fat consumption is mostly based on observational evidence, with a lack of well-controlled, dose-response intervention studies to accurately assess the strength of the relationship. Circulating odd-chain SFA and trans-palmitoleic acid are increasingly studied in relation to CMD risk and seem to be consistently associated with a reduced risk of type 2 diabetes in prospective cohort studies. However, associations with CVD are less clear. Overall, adding less studied FA such as vaccenic and phytanic acids to the current available evidence may provide a more complete assessment of dairy fat intake and minimise potential confounding from endogenous synthesis. Finally, the current evidence base on the direct effect of dairy fatty acids on established biomarkers of CMD risk (e.g. fasting lipid profiles and markers of glycaemic control) mostly derives from cross-sectional, animal and in vitro studies and should be strengthened by well-controlled human intervention studies.
Highlights
Cardiovascular diseases (CVD) are responsible for 26% of deaths in the UK, and healthcare costs related to CVD represent a £9 billion economic burden annually 1
In the UK, the first recommendation on dietary SFAs (< 10%TE) intake was initially implemented by the National Advisory Committee on Nutritional Education (NACNE) in 1983 7,8 and was reiterated in the 2019 Scientific Advisory Committee in Nutrition (SACN) report on saturated fat and health which recommended a replacement of SFAs with poly- (PUFAs) or monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFAs) for CVD prevention 9
Its content in animal derived products widely varies according to the farming method and animal diet, with a diet rich in grass leading to a higher Phytanic acid (PhA) content in meat and dairy foods
Summary
Cardiovascular diseases (CVD) are responsible for 26% of deaths in the UK, and healthcare costs related to CVD represent a £9 billion economic burden annually 1. Metabolic disorders such as type 2 diabetes (T2D), metabolic syndrome and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease are associated with increased risk of CVD in epidemiological studies 2–4. Dietary intakes of saturated fat, sodium and fruits and vegetables have been extensively studied in relation to CMD prevention and have been targeted by public health recommendations 6. In the UK, the first recommendation on dietary SFAs (< 10%TE) intake was initially implemented by the National Advisory Committee on Nutritional Education (NACNE) in 1983 7,8 and was reiterated in the 2019 Scientific Advisory Committee in Nutrition (SACN) report on saturated fat and health which recommended a replacement of SFAs with poly- (PUFAs) or monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFAs) for CVD prevention 9. Recent epidemiological evidence suggested the potential different associations of individual SFAs on CMD risk, which might reflect their different chainlengths or food matrices in which they are incorporated 10,11
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