Nutritionist: Dietary Fats Directly Affect the Hearts of Elderly People

A nutrition specialist is drawing attention to the direct impact that dietary fats have on heart health — a particularly important consideration for older people, who face an increased cardiovascular risk.

According to nutritionist Mihaela Bilic, the process by which dietary fats enter the body is fundamentally different from that of other nutrients, with direct consequences for the heart. Unlike sugars and proteins, which follow other metabolic pathways, fats take a distinctive route through the lymphatic system.

How fats reach the heart

Fats cannot be absorbed directly into the bloodstream due to their incompatibility with the aqueous environment. Instead, they are collected in the lymphatic vessels of the intestine and transported through the central lymphatic duct, which drains directly into the heart. This means that all types of consumed fats — from olive oil to the fats found in fried foods — reach the heart rapidly, before passing through the liver for processing and potential detoxification.

Risks for older adults with cardiovascular problems

For older people, who frequently deal with pre-existing cardiovascular conditions, this information is crucial. Consuming ultra-processed products, saturated vegetable fats, and fried foods can have an immediate impact on the heart, without first passing through the body's natural filters.

The specialist recommends treating fat more as a condiment than as a main food source, suggesting that it is preferable to invest in small quantities of higher-quality fats. This approach is particularly relevant for older adults who wish to maintain their cardiovascular health and reduce the risk of complications.

Given that cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death both worldwide and in Romania, understanding these mechanisms can help people make more informed dietary choices, especially amongst the senior population.