ESC Congress 2026 Abstract · Oct 26, 2026

Family history of premature coronary artery disease is linked to unhealthy dietary patterns and lower levels of unsaturated fatty acids.

By Osadnik KO, Osadnik TO, Fronczek MF et al.

Background: A healthy diet is one of the key elements in maintaining health and preventing cardiometabolic diseases. We hypothesize that unhealthy dietary patterns (DP) are an environmental factor shaped within families, which may be associated with a family history of premature coronary artery disease (pCAD) and may also influence the serum metabolome. Purpose: To investigate the association between dietary patterns and levels of unsaturated fatty acids (UFAs) in healthy young adults with a family history of pCAD. Methods: We assessed 731 participants using a food frequency questionnaire. Of the enrolled subjects, 388 had a family history of pCAD. Principal Component Analysis (PCA) was carried out to identify DP. Lipid spectra amenable to analysis were obtained using the Folch extraction method. A Bruker AVANCE II 600 MHz NMR spectroscope was used to obtain the metabolome. Samples were normalized using the constant sum normalization method. Results: Three dietary patterns were identified, explaining 30% of food intake variance: Western DP, Prudent DP, and Sweets and Snacks DP. The Western diet consisted mainly of processed foods and red meat. Participants with a history of pCAD exhibited poorer eating habits compared to those without a family history of pCAD (Western DP score -0.10 vs. 0.09; p = 0.008). The groups did not differ significantly in dietary habits involving dairy products, vegetables, and fruits (Prudent DP score, -0.03 vs. -0.03; p = 0.4) or in carbohydrate-rich diets (Sweets and Snacks DP score, -0.07 vs. 0.06; p = 0.1). Those with a family history of pCAD had lower serum concentrations of UFAs, as measured by 1H NMR spectroscopy (p < 0.0001). We also found a negative correlation between the Western DP and UFA levels (r = -0.171, p = 0.001), as well as a modest positive correlation between healthy eating habits and UFA levels (r = 0.110, p = 0.003). There was no link found between UFA levels and the Sweets and Snacks dietary pattern. Conclusion: There is a significant association between unhealthy eating patterns and lower levels of UFAs. A family history of pCAD is a risk factor for CAD that might be partially mediated by familial eating habits.

doi.org/10.1093/eurheartj/ehag785.3378Open accessPopulations