The mainstream medical establishment became obsessed with saturated fat over the course of five decades. During this time, propaganda in the form of poor quality ‘science’ was used to vilify dietary saturated fat. In particular, dietary saturated fat was implicated as a causative agent in the development of cardiovascular disease despite a lack of supporting evidence. It was suggested that dietary saturated fat was a cause of high cholesterol levels and that high cholesterol levels were a cause of cardiovascular disease. However, the evidence shows that saturated fat is not able to influence plasma cholesterol levels in isolation, and that high cholesterol is not a cause of cardiovascular disease, but a side effects of a wider serious metabolic dysfunction. Recently, a growing number of scientists have begun to questions the wisdom of recommendations to limit saturated fat in the diet based on findings showing that saturated fat is not associated with the development of cardiovascular disease.
For example, in one study1, researchers investigated the the association between the self reported dietary saturated fat intake and the risk of mortality or coronary events in those with existing coronary artery disease. Following a coronary angiography, patients filled in a food questionnaire and from this their saturated fat intake was estimated. The patients with existing coronary artery disease were then followed and their medical records used to assess if they suffered a coronary event or had died. When the data was analysed, the researchers found that there was no association between the saturated fat intake of the subjects and the subsequent coronary outcomes. These results therefore support a growing body of evidence to suggest that saturated fat plays no role in the development of cardiovascular disease, and that the contention that dietary saturated fat is damaging to the health are based on poor quality studies with inherent bias. If eaten in moderation, saturated fat does not appear to be problematic.
RdB
