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The hardening effect: the damage done by high-fat meals

A review from Monash Nutrition explores endothelial function after a high-fat meal and the factors that can modify this response.
By Jay Fewkes, PhD Candidate

It is estimated that 17.9 million lives are lost each year due to cardiovascular diseases (CVD) such as coronary heart disease and stroke. A primary cause of CVD is the development of atherosclerosis, the build-up of plaque in and on the walls of arteries that causes a dysfunction of the endothelium, a layer of cells that lines our blood vessels. As a result, the arteries dilate ineffectively and is the first step towards developing atherosclerosis and cardiovascular diseases. 
 
Excessive dietary fat is a known risk factor for cardiovascular disease. Previous research looked at artery health of participants in a fasted state. However, since we eat regularly throughout the day, it is important to know how the body responds after eating, especially in response to a high-fat meal. Currently, there is limited research in this area. 

Our systematic review looked at the effect of a single high-fat meal on endothelial function. We analysed previous literature and looked at endothelial function in the fasted state and after a meal, as measured by the flow-mediated dilation (FMD)  technique for up to 8 hours after consuming a high-fat meal. This technique involves blocking the blood flow of a patient’s forearm for 5 minutes with an inflated blood pressure cuff. After deflation, there is an increase in blood flow and shear stress along the artery wall, which causes artery dilation. FMD is a procedure used to identify a people’s current cardiovascular health; the more the artery dilates the healthier an individual.


Our research found:
  • The ability of arteries to adequately dilate decreased by 1 percentage point at 2, 3, and 4 hours after a high-fat meal. This reduction in artery response after a high-fat meal could indicate an increased risk of cardiovascular disease.
  • Participants who were older or had high blood pressure, high body mass index (BMI), dyslipidemia or diabetes showed poorer artery response to a high-fat meal.


Jay Fewkes is a PhD Candidate in the Department of Nutrition, Dietetics and Food and a Teaching Associate in both the departments of Nutrition, Dietetics and Food and Physiology at Monash University. Her research is focused on how food affects our arteries and cardiovascular disease risk, and the protective health effects of biologically active dietary components.


Publication information
Juanita J Fewkes, Nicole J Kellow, Stephanie F Cowan, Gary Williamson, Aimee L Dordevic,
A single, high-fat meal adversely affects postprandial endothelial function: a systematic review and meta-analysis, The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, Volume 116, Issue 3, 2022, Pages 699-729,



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Location: Melbourne VIC, Australia

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