Fats: An In Depth Discussion

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Fats An In Depth Discussion

• Presented by
• Professor Steven P. Dion Salem State College
• Sport, Fitness Leisure Studies Dept.

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Primary Sources for Americans

• MOSTLY animal products 
• Cows fed on grains
• Pigs fed on grains
• Chicken  - fed on grains
• Plant sources 
• Nuts Seeds
• Soy
• Coconuts / Palm oils
• Avocados

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Health Problems Associated w/ Fats

• Heart Disease - (atherosclerosis)
• Cancer -
• Strokes 
• High blood pressure 
• Hypertension 
• Overweight / Obesity

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WHY DO WE LIKE FAT?

• TASTE
• SATIETY
• COMFORT / DEPRESSION
• ILLNESS / SICK
• TIME
• PLEASURE!!!!

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WHAT ARE FATS / LIPIDS

• Similar to carbohydrates molecularly - but more
  carbon and hydrogen atoms.
• Twice the amount of calories than carbs and
  proteins (9 cals per gram)
• 98 of dietary fats exist as triglycerides
• 90 of fat resides as adipose fat

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Key Questions to Consider

• Do we eat too much fat?
• Ideally we should consume 20-30 of total cals
  from fats/lipids.
• Does fat cause heart disease?
• Only Saturated Fats and Transfatty Acids are
  linked to Coronary Heart Disease.
• What are fats/lipids essential for
• Organ protection
• Temperature regulation
• 90 of daily energy
• Transport of fat soluble vitamins A, D, E, K

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Types / Categories

• Saturated and Unsaturated 
• Monounsaturated and Polyunsaturated
• Simple Lipids
• Compound Lipids
• Derived Lipids

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Major Types / Categories

• Saturated Butter Lard (solid at room temp)
• Unsaturated Oils (liquid at room temp) 
• Monounsaturated Olive, Canola, Peanut oils,
  (healthiest)
• The fatty acid contains only one double bond
  between the carbon chain.
• Polyunsaturated Sun flower, Soybean, Corn,
  Safflower oils (less healthy)
• The fatty acid contains two or more double bonds
  along the main carbon chain.

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Simple Lipids

• Neutral fats triglycerides
• Most plentiful fats in the body
• Approx. 95-98 of the fats in the body)
• Constitutes major storage form of fat in adipose
  cells
• Waxes Beeswax (not honey)

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Compound Lipids

• Lipoproteins (LDL, VLDL HDL)
• VLDL Very Low Density Lipoproteins
• Precursor to LDL.
• Formed in the liver form fats, carbs, alcohol,
  and cholesterol
• Its 95 fat (60 of that is triglyceride)
• Transport triglycerides to muscles and adipose
  sites

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Compound Lipids

• LDL Low Density Lipoproteins
• Once acted on by the enzyme lipoprotein lipase,
  it becomes more dense.
• Delivers cholesterol to the arterial tissue
• LDL then oxidizes and participates in the
  proliferation (rapid reproduction) of smooth
  muscle cells and other unfavorable changes that
  damage and narrow the artery.

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Compound Lipids

• HDL High Density Lipoproteins
• Produced by liver and small intestine
• Is 50 protein, 20 lipid, 20 cholesterol
• Has a protective effect against heart disease
• Acts as a scavenger in the reverse transport of
  cholesterol.
• It removes cholesterol from the arterial wall and
  delivers it to the liver for incorporation into
  bile.

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Derived Lipids/Cholesterol

• They form from simple and compound lipids
• Cholesterol
• The most widely known derived lipid
• Exists only in animal tissue
• Obtained either through diet or internal
  production
• Internal production (endogenous) is increased
  with a diet high in saturated fats not
  cholesterol rich foods
• 70 of the cholesterol synthesized occurs in the
  liver

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Functions of Cholesterol

• Participates in the following
• Building of plasma membranes
• Synthesis of vit D
• Adrenal gland sex hormones production
• estrogen, progesterone and androgen
• Bile production
• Forming tissues, organs, fetal body structures

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Cholesterol and the Heart

• Those who have high LDL cholesterol and serum
  cholesterol levels have a higher likelihood of
  suffering from heart disease.
• Those who smoke, are physically inactive, obese,
  and have untreated hypertension are at an even
  greater risk.
• High levels of LDL and diets high in saturated
  fats promotes the process of atherosclerosis due
  to the depositing of plaque on the lining of the
  medium and large arteries, which eventually
  narrows and closes them angina / death of the
  heart tissue.

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Recommended Dietary Intake

• Saturated Fats 5 of the fat diet
• Polyunsaturated Fats 5-10 of the fat diet
• Unsaturated Fats 70-80 of the diet.
• Balance omega 3s and 6s to insure proper cell
  structure.
• Too much 6 increases cell/artery rigidity.
• 6 is found in most vegetables, 3 is in green
  leafy veggies, flax, hemp, walnuts, soy.

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Additional Info

• High amounts of saturated fats (depending on
  their source) can lead to higher serum
  cholesterol levels - which can lead to arterial
  damage and the over production of LDL cholesterol
  (possible defense or repair mechanism) which
  increases proliferation of smooth muscle tissue
  on arterial walls as well as atherosclerosis
  (plaque build up) which can lead to decreased
  flow of blood and oxygen to a part / section of a
  heart / brain which then can lead to heart
  attacks/ strokes and other circulatory disorders

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Additional Info

• Heart Disease Background Information 
• If is difficult to blame diet alone to blame on
  heart disease. 
• Death from heart disease became prevalent in
  1920-50s. Since the 1960s it has continued to
  decrease - possibly due to the use of aspirin and
  antibiotics / and decreasing smoking of men. 
• As other cultures begin to eat more like us -
  their heart disease increases.

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Additional Info

• Things we can do to decrease heart and
  circulatory disease
• Aspirin - (willow bark) - not sure how it worked
  until prostaglandin's - first thought it helped
  thin the blood which lead to less arterial
  clotting - but we now understand that it helps
  decrease the inflammation effect on the arteries
  in addition to decreasing colon esophageal
  cancer. 
• Antibiotic usage - helps deal with arterial
  inflammation
• Healthy Fatty Acids / Essential fatty acids -
  (we dont produce them) omega 3 and omega 6 fatty
  acids - have to get them from plants or the
  animals that eat the plants.