Reducing dietary fat has little effect on cardiovascular disease

Half a century ago it was suggested that dietary fat causes heart disease and that reducing or modifying dietary fat intake will keep us healthy. This theory is still a mainstay of population "healthy eating" strategies and individual risk reduction advice. On p 757 Hooper et al present a systematic review of randomised controlled trials of dietary fat reduction or modification (including 40 intervention arms, 1430 deaths, and 1216 cardiovascular events). The review shows only modest reductions in cardiovascular events in those remaining on diet for over two years. The authors found little evidence for optimal intakes of total or individual fats.

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Relevant Article

Dietary fat intake and prevention of cardiovascular disease: systematic review

Lee Hooper, Carolyn D Summerbell, Julian P T Higgins, Rachel L Thompson, Nigel E Capps, George Davey Smith, Rudolph A Riemersma, and Shah Ebrahim
BMJ 2001 322: 757-763. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]