Ziman people living in the Amazon valley of Bolivia are five times more likely to suffer from atherosclerosis than others. Research shows that in the United States. Atherosclerosis, sometimes called "arteriosclerosis", is the main risk factor of heart disease.
In fact, "most people will never have coronary atherosclerosis in their lifetime. Dr Gregory Thomas, a cardiologist and senior research author at California Memorial Heart and Vascular Institute, said in a statement. [The crux of the matter: 7 things to know about your stock]
According to the research published in The Lancet magazine today (March 17), researchers estimate that an 80-year-old Zimbabwean and an American in his 50s have the same "vascular age". In other words, Americans suffered as much arterial injury in 50 years as Ziman did 80 years ago. The researchers wrote that the Ziman people lived a pre-industrial lifestyle, including hunting, gathering, fishing and farming along the Amazon River. The lifestyle of the Ziman people indicates a low diet. Chirade Kaplan, a professor of anthropology at the University of New Mexico, said in a statement: "Saturated fat and high-fat, fiber-rich carbohydrates, as well as wild game and fish, smoking ban and full-day exercise can help prevent heart arteriosclerosis." Studies have shown that lifestyle factors, such as unhealthy diet, smoking and high-intensity inactivity, can basically be avoided by Tsimane, which may account for more than 90% of a person's risk of heart disease.
This study was conducted in 85 villages in Tsimane from July 438+04, 1965 to September 438+05, 1965. More than 700 adults aged 40 and above have measured the calcium content in the coronary artery wall (cardiovascular system). Studies have shown that the higher the calcium content, the greater the degree of arteriosclerosis, so the greater the risk of heart disease. In addition, the Tsimane population in the study received blood tests to measure cholesterol levels and inflammation.
The researchers found that 85% of Tsimane people have almost no risk of heart disease, and only 3% have moderate or high risk. On the other hand, among Americans of the same age (45 to 84 years old), only 14% have almost no risk of heart disease, and 50% have moderate or high risk. Studies have shown that,
Even among Ziman people aged 75 and over, 65% have almost no risk of heart disease, and 8% have moderate or high risk.
The researchers searched previous population-based studies and found that these risk levels are the lowest reported in the literature so far.
Lifestyle factors, although it is not clear what biological mechanism protects Tsimane from arteriosclerosis, researchers point out that lifestyle may play a big role.
For example, the researchers wrote that Tsimane's diet consists of 65,438+04% protein, 65,438+04% fat and 72% fiber-rich carbohydrates, including corn, plantain and cassava, which are starch roots.
This is a typical Tsimane house. In addition, the researchers wrote that Tsimane is very active during the day: they spend less than 65,438+00% of their time in sedentary activities during the day.
The researchers also found that the average heart rate of Tsimane people is low, and blood pressure, cholesterol and blood sugar are above average, all of which are considered as signs of heart health.
Interestingly, the researchers found that the level of inflammatory markers in Tsimane's blood was higher on average.
"The conventional wisdom is that inflammation increases the risk of heart disease," co-author Dr. Randall Thompson, a cardiologist at the Sino-American Heart Institute in St. Luke, Missouri, said in a statement. However, the common inflammation in Tsimane is not related to the increased risk of heart disease, but may be the result of high infection rate. According to this study,
Originally published in the journal Life Science.