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High ω6:ω3 Fatty Acid Ratio

The Israeli Experience

  • Chapter
Wild-Type Food in Health Promotion and Disease Prevention

Abstract

Consuming polyunsaturated fatty acids instead of saturated fat has been advocated for many years now, in an attempt to lower blood cholesterol and reduce atherosclerotic disease. In Israel, there is a high intake of ω6 fatty acids, a low total and trans fat intake, a high fruit and vegetable intake-but a similar prevalence of chronic diseases as in the rest of the western world. This Israeli paradox is probably due to the too-high intake of ω6 fatty acids, which can promote insulin resistance, increased atherogenesis and thrombosis, coronary events and cancer. Increasing ω3 fatty acid intake, by modifying fat content in foods and public education, seems a plausible way of raising the ω6:ω3 fatty acid ratio and lowering the rate of chronic diseases, in a population consuming a diet rich in ω6 fat.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Human Nutrition and Metabolism, Hebrew University-Hadassah Medical School, Jerusalem, Israel

    Gal Dubnov-Raz MD, MSc

  2. The Hebrew University-Hadassah Braun School of Public Health, Department of Human Nutrition and Metabolism, Faculty of Medicine, Hebrew University-Hadassah Medical School, Jerusalem, Israel

    Elliot M. Berry MD, FRCP

Authors
  1. Gal Dubnov-Raz MD, MSc
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  2. Elliot M. Berry MD, FRCP
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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Belovo S. A., Bastogne, Belgium

    Fabien De Meester PhD (President and CEO) (President and CEO)

  2. Division of Health Promotion Sciences Mel and Enid Zuckerman College of Public Health School of Medicine, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ

    Ronald Ross Watson PhD

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© 2008 Humana Press Inc., Totowa, NJ

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Dubnov-Raz, G., Berry, E.M. (2008). High ω6:ω3 Fatty Acid Ratio. In: De Meester, F., Watson, R.R. (eds) Wild-Type Food in Health Promotion and Disease Prevention. Humana Press. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-59745-330-1_3

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