Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1954-09-13
Fats in Diet Hit
As Major Heart
Disease Cause
Specialists Hear
Results of Studies
In Nine Countries

A group of world-renowned
heart specialists declared today
recent research in nine widely
scattered countries supports the
theory that dietary fats bear i'm
portant relationships to coronary
diseases.
The doctors reported during a
symposium conducted here fol
the Second World Congress OF
Cardiology and the 9th Scien-
tif1c sessions of the American
Heart Association.
Approximately $500 persons
have registered for the week.
long convention at the National
Guard Armory. They represent
so countries, including delegates
from Russia and Yugoslavia.
AS the symposium got under
way, DR.. Paul D. White of Bos-
ton. president of the congress,
and Prof. ANGEL Keys of Mime
apolis, chairman, urged a world
census on heart disease. They
said it would provide the basis
for a global research attack up
on coronary and related de-
generative heart ailments.
Immunity in Some Countries.
The long-range objective
would be to determine why diff
ferent populations vary in sus-
ceptibility to heart disease and
in that way find clues for more
successful treatment. In the
United States, this is the lead
Ing cause of death. In some
countries the populations enjoy
relative immunity.
The convention was told that
clues for the prevention and con-
troll Of heart ailments might well
be found by stuying the differ
ent ways Of life between groups
with different coronary Incl
dence and mortality rates.
DR.. Gunnar Biorck of Malmo,
Sweden, reported that a forced
reduction in dietary fats in
Scandinavian countries during
the war was followed by a sharp
decrease in degenerative heart
disease. He said this was espe-
cially true in Norway and Fin
land. where the change in diet
was greatest. With a return to
more luxurious eating after the
war, DR.. Ziorck said, heart dis
ease returned to its former levels.
Other Countries Similar.
The Swedish expert said a
similar situation was found in
the Netherlands and Germany,
but that in the United States,
where the fat content of the diet
did not fall during wartime, no
such changes occurred. He added
that in England, there was a
slight decline Of dietary fat dur
ing the war and a parallel drop
In deaths from coronary heart
disease among older persons.
Prof. Noburo Kimura of ia
pan declared proof is being found
for a relationship between low
fat content in diets in Japan,
Korea and China, and the low
incidence of coronary heart dis
ease there. He said American
troops stationed in the Far East,
eating a typical American diet,
have far more heart disease than
the native populations.
DR.. Arrigo Poppi and DR.. Teo-
doro Postelli told the congress
that Neapolitans of Southern
Italy eat much less fat than the
Bolognese Of Northern Italy and
they suffer less from coronary
hearts.
CholesteroI Is Offender.
Chairman Reyes said that a
deposit of cholesterol, a fatty
substance, in the coronary
arteries usually is involved in
coronary heart disease. The
substance come from the blood.
DR.. Keys said experiments in
Minnesota indicated the amount
Of cholesterol in the blood is
affected by the total fats in the
diet. leading to the theory that
populations on low-fat diets
could be expected to have rela-
lively little cholesterol in their
blood-and a low incidence of
coronary heart disease.
DR.. j. HigginSon of johannes
burg reported. that this thesis
seems to have been borne out
by extensive research on the
Bantu people of South Africa.
A New York doctor said today
the electron microscope has en-
abled scientists to detect tiny
structures which may give the
normal heart it's stamina.
DR.. Bruno Kisch said the new
study indicates that infinitely
small cellular structures in the
muscles of the heart may be the
key factors in keeping the heart
pumping.
Bear Important. Engines.
DR.. Kisch said the tiny struc-
lures. called "sarcosomes," have
been found to be bearers of i'm
portant engines - chemicals
capable of promoting chemical
reactions in the body.
The doctor said studies with
the powerful electron micro
scope have disclosed an abund-
ance of sarcosomes within heart
muscle, but only sparse amounts
in other muscles of the body.
Yesterday, Vice Pre- 81 d MT
Nixon told the Congress open
ing session that heart specialists
efforts can give statesmen IAN
example we can follow so we can
work better to remove another
cause from which men pre-
maturely die-war."
Mr.. Nixon said that If Presi-
dent Eisenhower were at the
meeting 'he would in his in
imitable. personal way thank you
for the work you are doing and
for the work of an individual