EFFECT OF PREMATURE MYOCARDIAL-INFARCTION IN MEN ON THE EATING HABITS OF SPOUSES AND OFFSPRING

Objective To investigate whether family members comply with a healthier diet after the father has had a myocardial infarction. Design Cohort study with administration of a dietary history questionnaire. Setting Outpatient lipid research clinic, Cincinnati, Ohio. Subjects Male subjects (referred to as father) who had had myocardial infarction before age 56 years were recruited along with their spouse and at least one offspring (myocardial infarction [MI] group; n=136). Control families (comparison group; n=237) were also recruited. Statistical analyses The t test, analysis of covariance, analysis of variance, least-squares means, chi2, and Kruskal-Wallis. Results Significant differences in dietary intake were found for percentage of energy from total and saturated fat (P<.0001), ratio of polyunsaturated fat to saturated fat (P:S ratio) (P<.0001), and cholesterol intake (P=.001) between fathers in the MI and comparison groups. The fathers in the MI group consumed 4.5% and 2.6% less energy from total and saturated fat, respectively, and less cholesterol (135 vs 151 mg/1,000 kcal) and demonstrated a higher P:S ratio (0.76 vs 0.62) than the fathers in the comparison group. Spouses in the MI group consumed less total energy (P=.02) and less energy from fat and saturated fat than spouses in the comparison group (P=.04 and P=.004, respectively). When spouses were grouped by time since the father's myocardial infarction, no differences were found in energy from saturated fat intake between the comparison population and those spouses 3 years or more after the myocardial infarction. The diet of the offspring in the MI group closely resembled that, of the offspring in the comparison group. Conclusions/applications Fathers who had experienced a myocardial infarction complied With a diet lower in fat and cholesterol than did fathers in a control comparison group. Spouses only complied with an improved diet for an initial period after the cardiac event. The cardiac event demonstrated little to no effect on the diet of the offspring. Offspring who have a high risk for cardiovascular disease, as well as the parents, need to be educated about the importance of establishing and maintaining a proper dietary regimen.