ABSTRACT
The role of dairy fat in the aetiology of myocardial infarction (MI) is controversial. The aim of this study was to evaluate the association between intake of dairy fat and dairy products, and risk of a first acute MI. A total of 111 MI patients with a first acute MI and 107 population controls (men and women, age 45 75 years) were studied. Diet was assessed using a 180-item food frequency questionnaire. The MI cases had higher intake of total fat, but lower intake of saturated fat and dairy fat than the control persons. No effect of dairy fat or saturated fat on the odds ratio for MI was observed, however. A significant inverse trend in odds of MI for intake of cheese was observed, but the trend was no longer significant after adjustment for smoking. The results suggest that intake of fat from dairy products may not be associated with increased risk of having a first MI. The healthy control persons had a diet that differed from the diet of the MI patients in many aspects, and dairy products were a part of this diet. This may have protected them from having a first MI.
