• IMA sites
  • IMAJ services
  • IMA journals
  • Follow us
  • Alternate Text Alternate Text
עמוד בית
Wed, 24.04.24

Search results


July 2012
N. Shapira

The Israeli Paradox“ (1996) of low national health rankings despite adequate diet – attributed to high dietary n-6 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) – coincided with long-observed dichotomies between women’s worse international status vs. men’s advantage. This raised the assumption of a gender link to high n-6 risk as an explanation for both national phenomena. Israeli women’s disadvantage was shown by worse international rankings, i.e., life expectancy (LE), 11th vs. men’s 3rd-best/22 countries (2000), and 14th vs. 6th/34 (2010) all-cause and all-cancer mortality both 15th vs. 2nd-best/22 (2000), and 15th vs. 6th/22 and 12th vs. 2nd-best/22 (2010). Breast cancer mortality rates were +21.8%, vs. prostate -30.4%, compared to Eur-A (27 country) averages (2005). Gender gaps/ratios were smaller than European Union-15, i.e., LE at birth by 34.4–26.4% (2000–2010), respectively, and at 65 years 45.9–35.3% all-cause mortality by 43.3–33.4%, and all-cancer 65.2–58.7%. The Israeli diet was mostly close to guidelines, but n-6 intake (10–12% kcal) was much higher than both recommended and traditional Mediterranean diet“ levels. Research showing females’ greater potential for conversion of PUFA to long-chain PUFA (LCPUFA) may suggest their potentially increased production of n-6 eicosanoids with known pro-inflammatory/oxidative/carcinogenic potential. An N-6 Gender Nutrition Paradox“ hypothesis is suggested here, for the first time, associating women’s higher risk and lead in the national paradox“ with greater potential for n-6 conversion to pro-inflammatory/oxidative/carcinogenic eicosanoids compared to men. This may also exacerbate women’s risk associated with genetic predisposition (i.e., BRCA) and/or sociopolitical stress. Global abandonment of traditional diets/foods together with increasing n-6 consumption and western disease rates emphasize the importance of considering gender in nutritional epidemiology and preventive strategies.

Legal Disclaimer: The information contained in this website is provided for informational purposes only, and should not be construed as legal or medical advice on any matter.
The IMA is not responsible for and expressly disclaims liability for damages of any kind arising from the use of or reliance on information contained within the site.
© All rights to information on this site are reserved and are the property of the Israeli Medical Association. Privacy policy

2 Twin Towers, 35 Jabotinsky, POB 4292, Ramat Gan 5251108 Israel