- An Amazonian tribe called Tsimane
has the lowest risk of coronary artery disease (hardening of the artery)
- Tsimane tribe diet is low in saturated fats and high in non-processed fiber-rich
carbohydrates, along with wild game and freshwater fish
- Nine out of ten of the Tsimane people
had no risk of heart disease
An indigenous Bolivian
population known as the Tsimane has the healthiest hearts in the world, finds
a new study published in The Lancet
. It is a well-known fact
that dietary choices and lifestyle have an impact on the heart health. The
lifestyle of the Tsimane tribe
resembles that of a human civilization from thousands
of years ago. Tsimane people are physically active as they thrive on hunting,
gathering, fishing, and farming in the Amazon rainforest. Tsimane's diet
consists of wild game, freshwater fish, rice, maize, roots, fruits, and nuts.
Heart Health of the
the association between the pre-industrial lifestyle and low prevalence of
coronary artery disease risk factors, the research team examined the Tsimane
population living a subsistence lifestyle with few cardiovascular risk factors.
A cross-sectional study of the Tsimane people was conducted by the research
team. People over forty years and older participated in the study. The research
team assessed the participant's heart health for coronary atherosclerosis.
‘Tsimane, an Amazonian tribe, has the lowest rates of heart disease in the world, measured due to their healthy lifestyle and dietary choices.’
artery score (CAC) of the Tsimane people was assessed with non-contrast CT to
investigate the heart health. Blood lipid and other inflammatory biomarkers
were also obtained. The CAC is a measurement of the amount of calcium deposits
in the walls of the arteries. The higher the CAC score, the higher the risk of
showed that out of the 705 Tsimane,
- 85% had no CAC
- 13% had CAC scores of 1-100
- 3% had CAC scores higher than 100
The results were
compared with 6,814 participants from the Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis
mean low-density lipoprotein (LDL) and high-density lipoprotein (HDL)
concentrations were 2·35 mmol/L and 1·0 mmol/L. Coronary artery disease risk
factors such as obesity, hypertension, diabetes, and smoking were rare among
The research team
found that almost nine out of ten of the Tsimane people had no risk of coronary
artery disease, and only 3% had a moderate or high risk.
Based on the findings, the research team
concluded that Tsimane has the lowest levels of coronary artery disease of any
population recorded to date.
The findings of
the study also suggest that atherosclerosis can be prevented with very low LDL,
normal body mass index
(BMI), low blood pressure, low
blood glucose levels, no smoking and regular physical activity.
Gurven, a lead researcher on this study, stated, "I would say we need a more
holistic approach to exercise."
Dr Thomas, a
co-author, said, "We need to be exercising much more than we do and that
perhaps it is the community's social life and positive outlook that has made
their hearts so healthy.
this unique study, and as rightly said by Professor
Sattar from University of Glasgow, "eating a healthy diet very low in saturated
fat and full of unprocessed products, not smoking and being active life-long,
is associated with the lowest risk of having furring up blood vessels."
Coronary artery disease
is a condition that is caused
by atherosclerosis, which is a buildup of plaque inside the artery walls. The
plaque accumulation causes the arteries to become narrower and slows down the flow
of blood. Coronary artery disease is caused by lifestyle and genetic factors.
Some of the risk
factors for coronary artery disease are
- High blood pressure
- High cholesterol levels
- Physical inactivity
- Smoking and alcohol consumption
Tips to Prevent the
Risk of Coronary Artery Disease
- Quit smoking as it elevates blood
pressure and increases heart beat
- Control blood pressure and glucose
- Engage in regular physical
activity such as walking, jogging, and aerobics
- Eat a heart-healthy diet by including
more fruits, vegetables, fish, lean meat and whole grains. Avoid
processed, high-fat and high sugar foods
- Hillard Kaplan, Randall C Thompson, Benjamin C
Trumble, L Samuel Wann, Adel H Allam, Bret Beheim, Bruno Frohlich, M Linda Sutherland,
James D Sutherland, Jonathan Stieglitz, Daniel Eid Rodriguez, David E Michalik,
Chris J Rowan, Guido P Lombardi, Ram Bedi, Angela R Garcia,
James K Min, Jagat Narula, Caleb E Finch, Michael Gurven, Gregory S Thomas.
Coronary atherosclerosis in indigenous South American Tsimane: a
cross-sectional cohort study. The Lancet, (2017); DOI: 10.1016/S0140-6736(17)30752-