Is saturated fat causing PTSD?

Is fat dangerous? As the old and irrational fear of fat collapses, due to a lack of scientific support, media headlines still continue to scare some people.

In a new study, researchers compared a “Western high-fat diet” to a standard “control” diet. The study resulted in the press release headline: Adolescents who consume a diet high in saturated fats may develop poor stress coping skills, signs of post-traumatic stress disorder as adults. This headline about PTSD was picked up and published in multiple online news outlets.

They make it sound pretty serious to consume saturated fat but what is this study actually based on? Well, it’s a rat study. Last time I checked rats were a different species than humans. Also, the “Western high-fat diet” was not just high in fat, it was complete junk food. In fact, compared to the “control” diet it had half the protein, 67% more calories and – above all – it had more than 17 times the sugar.

A reminder to remain vigilant given headlines like this.

Psychology Today: New Study Finds Saturated Fat Causes PTSD… or Does It?