Why cutting out butter and cheese may be pointless for millions

Many people enjoy butter, but concerns about its saturated fat content have led to health worries. That said, the reality is a bit more complicated. new research indicates that reducing saturated fat intake may not lower the risk of death for a significant portion of the population.

Saturated fats, found naturally in red meat and dairy like cheese and yogurt, have been considered dietary villains for decades. They've been linked to clogged arteries, increasing the risk of heart attacks and strokes. High saturated fat consumption has long been seen as a major contributor to poor cardiovascular health, making it a prime target in public health campaigns and dietary guidelines.

The NHS acknowledges that a small amount of fat is essential for a balanced diet, but advises men to consume no more than 30g of saturated fat daily, and women no more than 20g, suggesting lower consumption is better.

A major meta-analysis of 17 studies examined the impact of reducing saturated fats on health outcomes, involving 66,337 participants. The findings, published in the Annals of Internal Medicine, indicated that only individuals at "high risk" of cardiovascular issues experienced benefits from cutting back on these foods.

According to the research team, reducing or modifying saturated fat intake provides little to no benefit for individuals at low cardiovascular risk over a five-year period. That said, the reality is a bit more complicated. they noted that there was low- to moderate-certainty evidence of important reductions in mortality and major cardiovascular events among high-risk individuals.

In a related editorial, University of Barcelona's Dr. Ramon Estruch and Dr. Rosa Lamuela-Raventós, suggested a shift in perspective regarding saturated fats, from purely negative to potentially having previously unrecognized health benefits.

Quoting Bob Dylan, they stated, "The Times They Are A-Changin," referring to the evolving discussion surrounding saturated fat consumption. They elaborated that the perception of saturated fatty acids (SFAs) has moved from strictly detrimental to having "in-between" effects, and possibly even protective effects on cardiovascular and other chronic diseases for certain SFA subtypes.

The experts argue that the "diet-heart hypothesis," which fueled concerns about saturated fat consumption, emerged in the mid-20th century and quickly gained traction. This hypothesis, they claim, is based on weak evidence linking SFAs to heart disease through increased serum cholesterol levels.

They suggest that maintaining a high intake of polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fatty acids, along with consuming short-, medium-, and very long-chain SFAs, as well as odd-chain SFAs, may offer benefits within a balanced diet.

NHS guidance currently advises that excessive fat intake, particularly saturated fats, can elevate cholesterol levels, thereby increasing the risk of heart disease. The UK government recommends reducing overall fat intake and replacing saturated fats with unsaturated fats.

That said, the reality is a bit more complicated. Professor Nita Forouhi, a population health and nutrition expert at the University of Cambridge, cautioned that the analysis did not assess health outcomes over a ten-year period, which is the standard timeframe for heart-disease risk models. She advised against prematurely altering existing dietary guidelines that recommend saturated fat intake below 10 percent of total energy intake in the UK.