For more than half a century, the relationship between dietary factors and coronary heart disease (CHD) has been a major focus of health research. Contrary to the established view, current data suggest that dietary cholesterol is not a primary factor of or causes heart disease - with the possible exception of the genetic forms of familial hypercholesterolemias. For instance, recent clinical trials evaluating the effect of cholesterol-lowering drugs on the development of chronic heart failure, diabetes and stroke have yielded disappointing results. On the other hand, an unbalanced omega-6/omega-3 fatty acid ratio and a cholesterol intake not consistent with the amount during evolution seem to be causal factors in the development of CHD. A panel of international experts in genetics, nutrition, fatty acid, cholesterol, metabolism and coronary heart disease has contributed to this publication, summarizing and critically discussing for the first time the importance of evolutionary aspects of diet, the omega-6/omega-3 fatty acid ratio and cholesterol intake relative to health and CHD. They also propose measuring blood fatty acids in the population in order to define the risk of CHD and other chronic diseases. This book will be of interest to physicians (cardiologists, gerontologists, and pediatricians), nutritionists, dieticians, health care providers, scientists in industry and government and policy makers.

Studies on the evolutionary aspects of diet and molecular studies included in this volume indicate that human beings evolved on a diet that was balanced in the essential fatty acids (EFA). In fact, the ratio of omega-6/omega-3 EFA was 1/1 whereas present day diets in both developed and developing countries have a much higher ratio, between 5/1 and 50/1. Additional studies show that a high ratio of omega-6/omega-3 EFA is detrimental to health and may lead to the development of chronic diseases. Improving the dietary ratio by decreasing the omega-6 fatty acids and increasing the omega-3 fatty acids is essential for brain function and for the management of cardiovascular disease, arthritis and cancer. A ratio of 4/1 or less leads to lower dosage and to the reduction of adverse effects of drugs. This volume should be of interest to a large and varied audience of researchers in academia, industry, and government; cardiologists, geneticists, immunologists, neuroscientists, and cancer specialists; as well as nutritionists, dietitians, food scientists, agriculturists, economists and regulators.

The aim of this Special Issue is to publish high quality papers concerning poultry nutrition and the interrelations between nutrition, metabolism, microbiota and the health of poultry. Therefore, I invite submissions of recent findings, as original research or reviews, on poultry nutrition, including, but not limited to, the following areas: the effect of feeding on poultry meat end egg quality; nutrient requirements of poultry; the use of functional feed additives to improve gut health and immune status; microbiota; nutraceuticals; soybean meal replacers as alternative sources of protein for poultry; the effects of feeding poultry on environmental impacts; the use of feed/food by-products in poultry diet; and feed technology.

Diet and Health examines the many complex issues concerning diet and its role in increasing or decreasing the risk of chronic disease. It proposes dietary recommendations for reducing the risk of the major diseases and causes of death today: atherosclerotic cardiovascular diseases (including heart attack and stroke), cancer, high blood pressure, obesity, osteoporosis, diabetes mellitus, liver disease, and dental caries.

Exploration of changing human nutrition from evolutionary and social perspectives and its influence on health and disease, past and present.

Polyunsaturated Fatty Acid Metabolism explores a number of major roles of PUFA in the body, including its role as a component of cell membranes and how it provides substrates for the synthesis of lipid second messengers. Recent studies are unraveling the effect of interactions between diet and endocrine factors and genetic and epigenetic variation on the regulation of PUFA biosynthesis in animals. Together, these recent findings provide novel insights into the impact of differences in PUFA supply on health. This book captures these findings in a manner that marks the state-of-the-art, placing them in the wider context of PUFA metabolism and nutritional science. Users will find a comprehensive discussion on the topic that presents the contributions of leading researchers who combine their knowledge to create a cohesive academic resource for researchers, those involved in production, and health policymakers. - Provides a comprehensive view of polyunsaturated fatty acid metabolism - Describes underlying metabolism on lipids that include polyunsaturated fatty acids - Includes discussions on recent findings on the genetic and epigenetic regulation of polyunsaturated fatty acid metabolism