Table 2.
Association between intake of individual SFAs and risk of coronary heart disease in the Nurses’ Health Study (1984-2010) and Health Professionals Follow-up Study (1986-2010)
| SFA intake (energy (%))* | Ptrend | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Q1 | Q2 | Q3 | Q4 | Q5 | ||
| 4:0-10:0 | ||||||
| Nurses’ Health Study | ||||||
| Median SFA intake (energy (%)) | 0.30 | 0.41 | 0.50 | 0.61 | 0.82 | — |
| CHD/person year (No) | 587/370 588 | 579/370 698 | 560/370 466 | 583/370 160 | 637/368 728 | — |
| Age adjusted model† | 1 | 1.02 (0.91 to 1.15) | 0.99 (0.88 to 1.11) | 1.04 (0.93 to 1.17) | 1.13 (1.01 to 1.27) | 0.02 |
| Multivariate model‡ | 1 | 1.07 (0.95 to 1.20) | 1.01 (0.90 to 1.14) | 1.06 (0.95 to 1.20) | 1.08 (0.96 to 1.21) | 0.26 |
| Health Professionals Follow-up Study | ||||||
| Median SFA intake (energy (%)) | 0.21 | 0.32 | 0.41 | 0.52 | 0.73 | — |
| CHD/person year (No) | 811/173 021 | 766/173 450 | 791/173 160 | 819/173 069 | 902/172 314 | — |
| Age adjusted model | 1 | 0.99 (0.89 to 1.09) | 1.00 (0.91 to 1.11) | 1.03 (0.93 to 1.14) | 1.06 (0.96 to 1.16) | 0.14 |
| Multivariate model | 1 | 1.00 (0.90 to 1.10) | 1.00 (0.91 to 1.11) | 1.02 (0.93 to 1.13) | 1.01 (0.92 to 1.12) | 0.69 |
| Pooled analysis§ | ||||||
| Age adjusted model | 1 | 1.00 (0.93 to 1.08) | 1.00 (0.93 to 1.08) | 1.03 (0.96 to 1.11) | 1.09 (1.01 to 1.17) | 0.009 |
| Multivariate model | 1 | 1.03 (0.95 to 1.11) | 1.01 (0.93 to 1.09) | 1.04 (0.96 to 1.12) | 1.04 (0.96 to 1.12) | 0.30 |
| 12:0 | ||||||
| Nurses’ Health Study | ||||||
| Median SFA intake (energy (%)) | 0.12 | 0.16 | 0.20 | 0.24 | 0.37 | — |
| CHD/person year (No) | 593/370 058 | 556/370 205 | 565/370 484 | 572/370 234 | 660/369 659 | — |
| Age adjusted model | 1 | 0.99 (0.88 to 1.11) | 1.04 (0.92 to 1.16) | 1.05 (0.94 to 1.18) | 1.23 (1.10 to 1.38) | <0.001 |
| Multivariate model | 1 | 1.01 (0.90 to 1.14) | 1.05 (0.93 to 1.18) | 1.03 (0.92 to 1.16) | 1.11 (0.99 to 1.24) | 0.07 |
| Health Professionals Follow-up Study | ||||||
| Median SFA intake (energy (%)) | 0.10 | 0.14 | 0.18 | 0.22 | 0.34 | — |
| CHD/person year (No) | 844/172 454 | 789/173 116 | 794/173 261 | 781/173 342 | 881/172 840 | — |
| Age adjusted model | 1 | 1.00 (0.90 to 1.10) | 1.02 (0.93 to 1.13) | 1.01 (0.91 to 1.11) | 1.10 (1.00 to 1.21) | 0.03 |
| Multivariate model | 1 | 0.99 (0.90 to 1.10) | 1.02 (0.92 to 1.12) | 1.00 (0.90 to 1.10) | 1.04 (0.95 to 1.15) | 0.33 |
| Pooled analysis | ||||||
| Age adjusted model | 1 | 0.99 (0.92 to 1.07) | 1.03 (0.95 to 1.11) | 1.02 (0.95 to 1.10) | 1.15 (1.07 to 1.24) | <0.001 |
| Multivariate model | 1 | 1.00 (0.93 to 1.08) | 1.03 (0.95 to 1.11) | 1.01 (0.94 to 1.09) | 1.07 (0.99 to 1.15) | 0.05 |
| 14:0 | ||||||
| Nurses’ Health Study | ||||||
| Median SFA intake (energy (%)) | 0.63 | 0.79 | 0.91 | 1.05 | 1.33 | — |
| CHD/person year (No) | 596/370 997 | 558/370 854 | 534/370 521 | 605/369 940 | 653/368 328 | — |
| Age adjusted model | 1 | 1.02 (0.91 to 1.15) | 1.03 (0.91 to 1.15) | 1.17 (1.05 to 1.31) | 1.28 (1.14 to 1.43) | <0.001 |
| Multivariate model | 1 | 1.01 (0.89 to 1.13) | 0.99 (0.88 to 1.12) | 1.08 (0.97 to 1.22) | 1.10 (0.98 to 1.23) | 0.04 |
| Health Professionals Follow-up Study | ||||||
| Median SFA intake (energy (%)) | 0.50 | 0.68 | 0.80 | 0.95 | 1.22 | — |
| CHD/person year (No) | 775/173 398 | 754/173 399 | 809/173 246 | 812/172 832 | 939/172 138 | — |
| Age adjusted model | 1 | 1.06 (0.95 to 1.17) | 1.17 (1.06 to 1.29) | 1.17 (1.06 to 1.30) | 1.29 (1.17 to 1.42) | <0.001 |
| Multivariate model | 1 | 1.03 (0.93 to 1.14) | 1.12 (1.01 to 1.24) | 1.09 (0.98 to 1.21) | 1.15 (1.04 to 1.27) | 0.004 |
| Pooled analysis | ||||||
| Age adjusted model | 1 | 1.04 (0.96 to 1.12) | 1.11 (1.02 to 1.19) | 1.17 (1.09 to 1.27) | 1.28 (1.19 to 1.38) | <0.001 |
| Multivariate model | 1 | 1.02 (0.94 to 1.10) | 1.06 (0.98 to 1.15) | 1.09 (1.01 to 1.17) | 1.13 (1.05 to 1.22) | <0.001 |
| 16:0 | ||||||
| Nurses’ Health Study | ||||||
| Median SFA intake (energy (%)) | 4.68 | 5.49 | 6.04 | 6.61 | 7.55 | — |
| CHD/person year (No) | 586/370 403 | 574/370 902 | 569/370 506 | 591/370 144 | 626/368 685 | — |
| Age adjusted model | 1 | 1.10 (0.98 to 1.24) | 1.18 (1.05 to 1.32) | 1.29 (1.15 to 1.45) | 1.45 (1.29 to 1.62) | <0.001 |
| Multivariate model | 1 | 1.07 (0.95 to 1.20) | 1.08 (0.96 to 1.21) | 1.13 (1.01 to 1.27) | 1.12 (1.00 to 1.27) | 0.04 |
| Health Professionals Follow-up Study | ||||||
| Median SFA intake (energy (%)) | 4.22 | 5.21 | 5.87 | 6.52 | 7.52 | — |
| CHD/person year (No) | 772/173 340 | 767/173 368 | 786/173 172 | 840/172 897 | 924/172 237 | — |
| Age adjusted model | 1 | 1.08 (0.98 to 1.20) | 1.16 (1.05 to 1.28) | 1.26 (1.15 to 1.40) | 1.43 (1.30 to 1.57) | <0.001 |
| Multivariate model | 1 | 1.05 (0.95 to 1.17) | 1.10 (0.99 to 1.22) | 1.16 (1.05 to 1.28) | 1.22 (1.10 to 1.35) | <0.001 |
| Pooled analysis | ||||||
| Age adjusted model | 1 | 1.09 (1.01 to 1.18) | 1.16 (1.08 to 1.26) | 1.28 (1.18 to 1.38) | 1.44 (1.33 to 1.55) | <0.001 |
| Multivariate model | 1 | 1.06 (0.98 to 1.15) | 1.09 (1.01 to 1.18) | 1.15 (1.06 to 1.24) | 1.18 (1.09 to 1.27) | <0.001 |
| 18:0 | ||||||
| Nurses’ Health Study | ||||||
| Median SFA intake (energy (%)) | 2.02 | 2.46 | 2.76 | 3.07 | 3.56 | — |
| CHD/person year (No) | 553/370 679 | 557/370 728 | 547/370 516 | 634/370 053 | 655/368 663 | — |
| Age adjusted model | 1 | 1.13 (1.00 to 1.27) | 1.17 (1.04 to 1.32) | 1.42 (1.27 to 1.59) | 1.53 (1.36 to 1.71) | <0.001 |
| Multivariate model | 1 | 1.09 (0.97 to 1.23) | 1.07 (0.95 to 1.21) | 1.22 (1.09 to 1.38) | 1.17 (1.04 to 1.32) | 0.003 |
| Health Professionals Follow-up Study | ||||||
| Median SFA intake (energy (%)) | 1.76 | 2.30 | 2.67 | 3.03 | 3.58 | — |
| CHD/person year (No) | 730/173 367 | 767/173 438 | 795/173 142 | 865/172 821 | 932/172 244 | — |
| Age adjusted model | 1 | 1.11 (1.00 to 1.23) | 1.20 (1.08 to 1.32) | 1.31 (1.18 to 1.44) | 1.42 (1.29 to 1.57) | <0.001 |
| Multivariate model | 1 | 1.08 (0.97 to 1.19) | 1.13 (1.02 to 1.25) | 1.19 (1.07 to 1.32) | 1.19 (1.08 to 1.32) | 0.004 |
| Pooled analysis | ||||||
| Age adjusted model | 1 | 1.12 (1.03 to 1.21) | 1.19 (1.10 to 1.28) | 1.35 (1.26 to 1.46) | 1.47 (1.36 to 1.58) | <0.001 |
| Multivariate model | 1 | 1.08 (1.00 to 1.17) | 1.11 (1.02 to 1.20) | 1.20 (1.11 to 1.30) | 1.18 (1.09 to 1.28) | <0.001 |
| 12:0-18:0 | ||||||
| Nurses’ Health Study | ||||||
| Median SFA intake (energy (%)) | 7.58 | 9.00 | 9.96 | 10.98 | 12.64 | — |
| CHD/person year (No) | 575/370 561 | 572/370 873 | 548/370 588 | 595/370 025 | 656/368 593 | — |
| Age adjusted model | 1 | 1.12 (0.99 to 1.25) | 1.15 (1.02 to 1.29) | 1.30 (1.16 to 1.46) | 1.50 (1.34 to 1.68) | <0.001 |
| Multivariate model | 1 | 1.08 (0.96 to 1.21) | 1.05 (0.94 to 1.19) | 1.14 (1.01 to 1.28) | 1.17 (1.04 to 1.31) | 0.01 |
| Health Professionals Follow-up Study | ||||||
| Median SFA intake (energy (%)) | 6.71 | 8.42 | 9.57 | 10.72 | 12.49 | — |
| CHD/person year (No) | 754/173 363 | 767/173 360 | 775/173 230 | 870/172 818 | 923/172 242 | — |
| Age adjusted model | 1 | 1.08 (0.98 to 1.20) | 1.16 (1.04 to 1.28) | 1.32 (1.19 to 1.45) | 1.41 (1.28 to 1.55) | <0.001 |
| Multivariate model | 1 | 1.05 (0.95 to 1.17) | 1.10 (0.99 to 1.22) | 1.20 (1.08 to 1.32) | 1.19 (1.08 to 1.32) | <0.001 |
| Pooled analysis | ||||||
| Age adjusted model | 1 | 1.10 (1.02 to 1.19) | 1.15 (1.07 to 1.24) | 1.31 (1.21 to 1.41) | 1.45 (1.35 to 1.56) | <0.001 |
| Multivariate model | 1 | 1.06 (0.98 to 1.15) | 1.08 (1.00 to 1.17) | 1.17 (1.08 to 1.26) | 1.18 (1.09 to 1.28) | <0.001 |
SFA=saturated fatty acid; CHD=cases of confirmed coronary heart disease; 4:0=butyric acid; 6:0=caproic acid; 8:0=caprylic acid; 10:0=capric acid; 12:0=lauric acid; 14:0=myristic acid; 16:0=palmitic acid; 18:0=stearic acid.
*Total SFA intake divided into five equal groups of energy (%).
†Data for age adjusted models are hazard ratios (95% confidence intervals) calculated in Cox proportional hazards regression models.
‡Multivariate models are further adjusted for ethnicity (white, African American, Asian, and other ethnicity), smoking status (never, former, current (1-14, 15-24, or ≥25 cigarettes/day), or missing), alcohol intake (0, 0.1-4.9, 5.0-14.9, and >15.0 g/day in women; 0, 0.1-4.9, 5.0-29.9, and >30.0 in men; or missing), family history of myocardial infarction (yes/no), menopausal status and postmenopausal hormone use (premenopause, postmenopause (never, former, or current hormone use), or missing, for women), physical activity (<3, 3.0-8.9, 9.0-17.9, 18.0-26.9, ≥27.0 metabolic equivalent of task (h/week); or missing), current aspirin use (yes/no), multivitamin use (yes/no), baseline hypertension, baseline hypercholesterolemia, body mass index (<23, 23-24.9, 25-29.9, 30-34.9, >35, or missing), and total energy intake.
§For pooled results, study estimates from the two cohorts were pooled using a fixed effects model.