TY - JOUR T1 - Convincing evidence supports reducing saturated fat to decrease cardiovascular disease risk JF - BMJ Nutrition, Prevention & Health JO - BMJ Nutrition DO - 10.1136/bmjnph-2018-000009 SP - bmjnph-2018-000009 AU - Penny M Kris-Etherton AU - Kristina Petersen AU - Linda Van Horn Y1 - 2018/11/15 UR - http://nutrition.bmj.com/content/early/2018/11/15/bmjnph-2018-000009.abstract N2 - Treatment guidelines and population-based recommendations evolve from research vetted by the scientific community. Healthcare providers require practice guidelines resulting from rigorous review of the totality of evidence. Open discussion/debate among experts is fundamental and encouraged, but blatant disregard for scientific process can lead to confusion and public distrust. A recent example is the controversy among scientists, healthcare professionals and the public about dietary saturated fat (SFA) recommendations to lower risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD).Dietary recommendations for SFA from authoritative organisationsMore than 60 years ago (in 1957), the American Heart Association (AHA) proposed that modifying dietary fat could reduce the incidence of coronary heart disease (CHD). This was based on research, including controlled feeding studies, and endpoint measures of blood lipids and blood pressure.1 In 1980, the first Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommended ‘avoiding too much SFA’.2 For decades, research has substantiated this consistent dietary recommendation from authoritative organisations to decrease SFA to reduce CVD risk.3–6 Current dietary guidelines for SFA and evidence ratings are summarised in table 1. While the strong evidence to reduce SFA specifically targets decreasing low-density lipoprotein (LDL)-cholesterol, it is very much germane to CVD risk reduction.View this table:In this windowIn a new windowTable 1 Authoritative recommendations for saturated fat and evidence ratingsView this table:In this windowIn a new windowView this table:In this windowIn a new windowView this table:In this windowIn a new windowChallenging practice guidelines and population-based recommendations: the SFA SAGAIn 2010, a meta-analysis of 21 prospective epidemiological studies totalling 347 747 subjects reported that higher intake of SFA was not associated with an increased risk of CHD, stroke or CVD.7 Aspects of this methodology were widely … ER -