This study was published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition 1999 Aug;70(2):221-7
Study title and authors:
Dietary protein and risk of ischemic heart disease in women.
Hu FB, Stampfer MJ, Manson JE, Rimm E, Colditz GA, Speizer FE, Hennekens CH, Willett WC.
Departments of Nutrition and Epidemiology, Harvard School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA. frank.hu@channing.harvard.edu
This study can be accessed at: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/10426698
The study examined the association between dietary protein intake and incidence of heart disease. The study included 80,082 women, aged 34-59 years, who were without a previous diagnosis of heart disease, stroke, cancer, hypercholesterolemia, or diabetes.
The study found:
(a) Women who consumed the most protein had a 26% reduced rate of heart disease compared to the women who consumed the least protein.
(a:i) Women who consumed the most protein also ate 7.8% more fat than women who consumed the least protein.
(a:ii) Women who consumed the most protein also ate 12.8% more saturated fat than women who consumed the least protein.
(a:iii) Women who consumed the most protein also ate 64.0% more cholesterol than women who consumed the least protein.
(a:iv) Women who consumed the most protein also ate 16.1% more red meat than women who consumed the least protein.
(a:v) Women who consumed the most protein also ate 32.1% less carbohydrate than women who consumed the least protein.
(b) Women who consumed the most animal protein had a 16% reduced rate of heart disease compared to the women who consumed the least animal protein.
The data from the study shows that low consumption of protein, fat, saturated fat, cholesterol and red meat is associated with higher rates of heart disease in women.
