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For doctorsAnother thoughtful analysis upends fear of saturated fat
Has the Diet-Heart Hypothesis led us down a path of deception and ill health? A new editorial in BMJ EBM suggests that it has.
Briefly, the Diet-Heart Hypothesis dates back to the 1950s, when Ancel Keys argued that dietary fat, specifically saturated fat, caused heart disease. The idea infiltrated our government’s nutrition guidelines and became the standard of care for preventative health as well as treating and preventing heart disease. The problem is that the scientific evidence does not support it, and after four decades, it is not serving us well.
As the authors, Drs. DuBroff and de Longeril, point out in their evidence-based editorial, the majority (not all, but definitely the majority) of published studies and meta-analyses show there is NO association between saturated fat intake and cardiovascular events or mortality. In addition, the unfortunate unintended consequence of promoting low-fat foods as “healthy,” fueled generations of sugar and carbohydrate-craving individuals. In the end, this likely led to increased rates of obesity, metabolic syndrome and other negative health consequences.
The confusing part is that this isn’t a secret. Studies and meta-analyses that contradict the Diet-Heart Hypothesis are published for all to see. In addition, observational data clearly shows a sky-rocketing of obesity and diabetes rates coinciding with the institution of low-fat guidelines.
So, why do most established health and medical institutions continue to promote the Diet-Heart Hypothesis as if it were fact?
The authors offer a couple of suggestions:
- Confirmation bias — paying attention only to the studies that confirm consensus beliefs while ignoring the rest.
- Focusing on the wrong outcomes — LDL cholesterol is the most common benchmark for cardiovascular risk. But LDL does not exist in a vacuum, and its contribution to cardiovascular disease is dependent on HDL, triglycerides and underlying metabolic health. Thus, monitoring changes in LDL as a solitary variable does not reflect the complexity of predicting cardiovascular disease or mortality.
Regardless of the exact reason for the confusion surrounding fat and saturated fat, we will continue to evaluate all the evidence, all the unintended consequences, and promote metabolic health as the cornerstone of overall health. The totality of evidence does not support saturated fat as a nutrient of concern, especially when combined with a healthy low-carb lifestyle. For more information, see our complete guide on saturated fat, and of course, explore our recipes for delicious low-carb meals that help promote metabolic health.
Thanks for reading,
Bret Scher, MD FACC
A user guide to saturated fat
GuideThis guide explains what is known about saturated fat, discusses the scientific evidence about its role in health, and explores whether we should be concerned about how much we eat it.
Earlier
Supply and demand: Why fatty foods are getting more expensive
Carotid arteries are no longer at 65% it is only at 40% and I chalk this all up to the diet of 50% fat 20% protein and 5% carbs daily
Thank you for this great article, I am not a Doctor or medically involved, the contents within the post are highly interesting and personally feel are of beneficial reading overall, from a personal point of view especially the word "evidence", and more so scientific evidence, which is of vital importance surrounding the subject in question.
I repeat not being a Doctor, I share, explain my own experience especially regards the information of Cholesterol levels and general info therein, I respect all doctors, listen, yet at the end of the day I put it all together, use common sense and take charge of my own body finally, I did not do this once upon a time, I trusted not only 100% but 120% advices and recommendation of a Doctor, things changed, resulting, I ensure to do my homework searches to establish all or any information put forth and take it from there.
I can confirm I followed advices and recommendations as guideline to good health, trusting same, by not eating many eggs weekly or monthly, did not eat butter, as a child or later life, nor did I eat cream, sugar or fats healthy or bad, cheese was eaten in moderation only, i.e. the size of a matchbox, and believe me I am a cheese lover, following this recommended foods to ensure good health and healthy chol levels, resulted my cholesterol levels I refer only to the TOTAL was around 191mg/dl and highest ever was 212mg/dl, the latter 12 over the current cut off 200mg/dl which my Doctor stated, far too high, danger zone, but in same breath he forgot to tell me that not so long ago the cut off was in actual fact was 250mg/dl cut off, so in reality my 212mg/dl would have then been viewed as normal and not abnormal.
Since levels of cholesterol 191 ad 212mg/dl for the past three years I changed my lifestyle diet that included keto eating plan recommendations, and continue todate, I included in my daily eating, all lets call them the "so called forbidden foods," I incorporated butter for cooking, coconut oil , eat cheese daily, add crème fraise, double cream to soups and other foods, eat bacon, which I had not indulged for some 12 years! and finally but not least, I eat approx 3 eggs a day or between min 10 to 14 eggs a week, yes you heard correctly!
The result of this, I am happy to confirm my cholesterol levels have amazingly, suddenly and continuously for a period of three years have reduced from when I refrained from eating such foods, and have varied from 189mg/dl down to 170mg/dl and only yesterday had a cholesterol test, and the result was 167mg/dl.
Who is right or wrong, what we should or should not eat, who knows, one thing for sure is evidence is the crux of importance here, real facts and figures do not lie, the evidence of my constant low Cholesterol levels regards myself, in my case, it reversed my health from higher levels to having normal low and perfect cholesterol levels, yesterday, when the person testing informed, "Oh you must be eating healthy no eggs, butter cheese, creams to have such a good number this is why your have such a perfect result", to which I had great delight to inform, sorry to disappoint you, I infact, eat all of these foods you maintain should not be eaten, and I also eat up to14 eggs a week.............
My experience relating to this Blog does not mean this will be the case for any other individual its purely sharing an experience of real proof of evidence, that brings excellence of results.
For this, I can relate to the contents of the blog above, its excellent and could not agree more regards contents therein.
I can happily inform that at 70 years of age, not knowing yours, but I like you have no prescription drugs for anything whatsoever, and resisted also to Metformin when prescribed as "Precaution", just in case sugar levels went higher, even though they were only high normal at the time, and not over the threshold and not diabetic range. To prescribe drugs, on the basis that something may or may not happen, did not seem good medical sense to me, my decision on that was to not take the medications, although it still shows on my medical records as doing so, and the system, I refer, refused to delete the fact, this is an error, for the fact, I am not taking the drug, never have and never will I put them down the toilet basically!
What also does not seem medical sense that one is given pills as you say, and means its OK to eat what you want, I am a prime example of that, when given metformin, I was told I could all in moderation including rice, potatoes, bread and pasta, all forbidden foods for those with sugar issues, why not simply don't take the drug, and cut out the foods not beneficial and will worsen sugars in the first place which is what I did ignoring the recommendations, on having what the system refers as high Blood Pressure it was at the time 120/30 but as it was touching the so called cut off, they said take the blood pressure, this will mean you don't have to cut out salt and eat salt, again not good medical sense in my thinking, why not simply cut out salt which is, finally, exactly what I did.
Its unfortunate many people trust their medical services and recommendations given 100% without giving it a thought that the information of their docs may be outdated, they may not be experienced in that particular problem, and instead of taking charge of their body, making homework and searches regards their situation or get second opinions before trusting one advice, perhaps such, will turn around that many more people will become more healthy instead of been unhealthy by following wrong recommendations, and trusting that, and perhaps been misdiagnosed and/or prescribed medications unnecessarily.
So you are not alone in not taking any drugs, and I am sure there are many more out there who are daily becoming more alert, more aware that one has NOT TO TRUST one single advice, the to use common sense, listen, but same time, make searches and ensure that advice recommendation is correct for themselves.
You were lucky to have at least had some info presented, on Diabetes, I received non when diagnosed on one discordant A1C which turned out to be error, at no time was I given any general info, presented with any support material leaflets, and or informed if I had to prick my fingers for testing, eating my the meter basically, or support groups Diabetic or other, simply informed, when I queried the discordant results, asking for 2nd result to clarify which was declined, instead, told "convince yourself your diabetic, labs don't make mistakes, and don't drink coffee"...that was it, Thankfully resisting this info and metformin I paid privately to get second A1C and it proved to be non diabetic range, and was not a discordant result like the first that gave a misdiagnosis label of Diabetic, hopefully that indicates, THE BEST DOCTOR AND SYSTEM is to take charge of ones own body at the end of the day, yet with the help of wonderful websites such as Diet Doctor, its recommendations that of Keto Low carb that people don't have to follow, its up to them, but is wonderful tool of recommendations overall. Thank you diet doctor, have followed faithfully for 3 years and all my sugars, A1C and Cholesterol have been normal x 3 years and medications, Non, they are down the toilet.
Good comments Dawn.
Will that system overhaul, highly unlikely, is my personal opinion, may be proved wrong on this, in the interim, it seems only common sense to ensure one makes sound searches to obtain the best possible information and second opinions, especially, when a Doctor on my asking to him
"why don't you put forward to a patient a change of life diet plan asking patient to follow that for a period of 3 months trial, after which, then re view the patient situation as to whether their condition has got much better, or worse, or same, by this change, to view the situation further whether requires medication on top or other, instead of immediately prescribing medications for Diabetes without this change of lifestyle recommendation"?
reply from the doctor was simply....
"Why bother, its not worth putting forward suggestions eating/ plan or diet, people don't follow this, not everyone is strong willed determined and disciplined as yourself to make changes without medications, they don't want changes, they want to continue eating as they do, so by giving metformin and other, this allows continuation of eating without change as the drug is helping the sugars supposedly"....
Such an explanation reply, surely is a situation that is to be overhauled, addressed to change, its just too easy to have such an approach, it may be the case as the Doctor stated, Patients not interested, don't have willpower to change, why bother, to suggest the change is not good medical sense surely, there is no excuse that if this is the case, a Doctor system, should/could put forth the opportunity of change recommendation, let the patient choose, if they decline, so be it, at least change of lifestyle has been promoted first and foremost above all else medications, sadly, if that help, suggestion to change lifestyle first is not given in the first place, "as not worth it" basis, this is why the system and situation of Diabetes in my opinion is as it is today, this is frightening, and it should be incumbent on all docs, medicals care to promote lifestyle change as obligatory first and foremost where Diabetes is concerned instead of simply writing a prescribed pill as it is assumed by the doctor to be more convenient and what the patient wants at the end of the day.....
The within is only my personal opinion, that is not to say its the right opinion or that the current system is right or wrong,its simply opinion based on my own experiences todate and how I see the general situation overall, as such yes, I agree with comments in your post hitting the situation on the head, and totally support and agree, well said.
The averages came from Mercola https://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2010/04/20/sugar-...
I had to research this topic just this past week.
Mmmmm, they won't get their money if they don't continue lying?