Heart Disease Research Papers

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Often times heart disease is considered to be a man’s disease. However heart disease is the number one cause of death for women in the United States. Due to the misconception that women are less likely to be affected by heart disease there has been a great push to increase the awareness of the prevalence of heart disease. Heart disease is a term used to describe problems that occur with the blood vessels that lead to the heart. The vessels that transfer blood to and from the heart can become clogged or blocked and can lead to a heart attack, cardiovascular diseases, or death. Fiber is a carbohydrate that is found in plant sources. It is considered to be a nondigestible carbohydrate which means that it has the ability to pass through the body without causing an increase in blood sugar. Fruits, vegetables, and whole grains are examples of plant…show more content…
Diets that are higher in fiber are normally healthier and lower in saturated fat. High levels of saturated fat are correlated with the increase of LDL cholesterol. Fiber, once fermented, can make short chain fatty acids. These short chain fatty acids inhibit the synthesis of cholesterol. This inhibition reduces the amount of cholesterol in the blood and reduces total cholesterol levels. The Nurses’ Health Study was a cohort study that was conducted over the span of ten years. Within this time a large group of US women who were between 30 - 55 years old were followed asked to complete questionnaires every two years. The questionnaires included food frequency questionnaires with specific questions in regards to fiber intake. What was found was that women who had the highest and longest total dietary fiber intake were at a 43% lower risk for developing nonfatal MI and at a 59% lower risk of fatal coronary disease compared to the women with the lower and shorter total fiber intake. Supporting the hypothesis that high fiber intake reduces the risk of heart

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