Dogs on fast food type diet give important clues to human diseases

The type of oxidised fat in fast and processed food is detrimental to health, according to a study in young dogs.
Fats are readily oxidised when they are heated - unless an antioxidant is added - and this type of fat is known to contribute the blocked arteries and heart disease. Oxidised fat is a significant component of fast foods, if fried, and many processed foods. As a result, many people have a high proportion of oxidised fat in their diet.

Researchers at Purdue University have been looking at the impact of oxidised fat in the diet of a group of coonhound puppies. Previously, such work has been done in mice - and it was thought that switching to dogs would give a better idea of what oxidised fat does to humans. The dogs were fed a diet that differed only in the amount of oxidised fat it contained: low, medium or high.

Dogs on medium or high oxidised fat regimes grew less well, tended towards osteoporosis, and had impaired immunity. This raises concerns that young humans may be sowing the seeds of future health problems if they eat a lot of fast food. It may even be that they will succumb to heart disease or cancer at an earlier age than their parents or grandparents, who may have grown up before the 'fast food' era. One way of offsetting the impact of oxidised fats may be to eat a lot of fresh fruits and vegetables, which are high in antioxidants.

by Susan Aldridge, PhD

Source: Journal of Nutritional Biochemistry January 2003
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