18/3/2017 'Healthiestheartsintheworld'foundBBCNews

'Healthiestheartsintheworld'found
ByJamesGallagher
Healthandsciencereporter,BBCNewswebsite

ThehealthiestheartsintheworldhavebeenfoundintheTsimanepeopleintheforestsof
Bolivia,sayresearchers.

BarelyanyTsimanehadsignsofcloggeduparteriesevenwellintooldageastudyinthe
Lancetshowed.

"It'sanincrediblepopulation"withradicallydifferentdietsandwaysofliving,saidthe
researchers.

Theyadmittherestoftheworldcannotreverttoahuntergatheringandearlyfarmingexistence,
butsaidtherewerelessonsforallofus.

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18/3/2017 'Healthiestheartsintheworld'foundBBCNews

Tsimane?

BENTRUMBLE

Tsimaneispronounced"cheemaynay".

Therearearound16,000Tsimanewhohunt,fishandfarmontheManiquiRiverintheAmazon
rainforestintheBolivianlowlands.

Theirwayoflifehassimilaritiestohumancivilisationthousandsofyearsago.

Ittooktheteamofscientistsanddoctorsmultipleflightsandacanoejourneytogetthere.

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18/3/2017 'Healthiestheartsintheworld'foundBBCNews

How does your diet compare with the Tsimane?

17%oftheirdietisgameincludingwildpig,tapirandcapybara(theworld'slargestrodent)

7%isfreshwaterfishincludingpiranhaandcatfish

Mostoftherestcomesfromfamilyfarmsgrowingrice,maize,maniocroot(likesweet
potato)andplantains(similartobanana)

Itistoppedupwithforagedfruitandnuts

Itmeans:

72%ofcaloriescomefromcarbohydratescomparedwith52%intheUS

14%fromfatcomparedwith34%intheUS,Tsimanealsoconsumemuchlesssaturatedfat

BothAmericansandTsimanehave14%ofcaloriesfromprotein,butTsimanehavemore
leanmeat

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18/3/2017 'Healthiestheartsintheworld'foundBBCNews

Howfitarethey?

Theyarealsofarmorephysicallyactivewiththemenaveraging17,000stepsadayandthe
women16,000.

Eventheover60shaveastepcountover15,000.

Itmakesmostpeople'sstruggletogetnear10,000seemdeeplyinsignificant.

"Theyachievearemarkabledoseofexercise,"saysDrGregoryThomas,oneofthe
researchersandfromLongBeachMemorialmedicalcentreinCalifornia.

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18/3/2017 'Healthiestheartsintheworld'foundBBCNews

So how magnificent are their hearts?

Thescientistslookedforcoronaryarterycalciumor"CAC"whichisasignofcloggedupblood
vesselsandriskofaheartattack.

Thescientistsscanned705people'sheartsinaCTscannerafterteamingupwitharesearch
groupscanningmummifiedbodies.

Attheageof45,almostnoTsimanehadCACintheirarterieswhile25%ofAmericansdo.

Bythetimetheyreachage75,twothirdsofTsimaneareCACfreecomparedwiththe
overwhelmingmajorityofAmericans(80%)havingsignsofCAC.

Theresearchershavebeenstudyingthisgroupforalongtimesoitisnotsimplyacaseofthe
unhealthyTsimanedyingyoung.

MichaelGurven,aprofessorofanthropologyatUniversityofCalifornia,SantaBarbara,toldthe
BBC:"Itismuchlowerthanineveryotherpopulationwheredataexists.

"TheclosestwereJapanesewomen,butit'sstilladifferentballparkaltogether."

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18/3/2017 'Healthiestheartsintheworld'foundBBCNews

s it only diet and exercise?

MICHAELGURVEN

Theyalsosmokealotless,buttheydogetmoreinfectionswhichcouldpotentiallyincreasethe
riskofheartproblemsbycausinginflammationinthebody.

Oneideaisthatintestinalwormswhichdampenimmunereactionscouldbemorecommon
andthismayhelpprotecttheheart.

WhatcanIlearn?
ProfGurvensaid:"Iwouldsayweneedamoreholisticapproachtophysicalexerciserather
thanjustattheweekend.

"Bicycletowork,takethestairs,writeyourstoryonatreadmilldesk."(Ididn't)

DrThomassaid:"Itcouldbetomaintainhealthweneedtobeexercisingmuchmorethanwedo.

"Themodernworldiskeepingusalive,buturbanisationandthespecialisationofthelabourforce
couldbenewriskfactors[foranunhealthyheart].

"Theyalsoliveinsmallcommunities,lifeisverysocialandtheymaintainapositiveoutlook.

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18/3/2017 'Healthiestheartsintheworld'foundBBCNews

What do experts make of all this?

Dr Gavin Sandercock, reader in clinical physiology (cardiology) at the University of Essex,
said: "This is an excellent study with unique findings.

"The Tsimane get 72% of their energy from carbohydrates.

"The fact that they have the best indicators of cardiovascular health ever reported is the exact
opposite to many recent suggestions that carbohydrates are unhealthy."

ProfNaveedSattar,fromtheUniversityofGlasgow,said:"Thisisabeautifulreallifestudy
whichreaffirmsallweunderstandaboutpreventingheartdisease.

"Simplyput,eatingahealthydietverylowinsaturatedfatandfullofunprocessedproducts,not
smokingandbeingactivelifelong,isassociatedwiththelowestriskofhavingfurringupof
blood vessels."

FollowJamesonTwitter.

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