Popular Belief That Saturated Fat Clogs Up Arteries Is a Myth, Experts Say (independent.ie)

schwit1 quotes a report from Irish Independent: The authors, led by Dr Aseem Malhotra, from Lister Hospital, Stevenage, wrote: "Despite popular belief among doctors and the public, the conceptual model of dietary saturated fat clogging a pipe is just plain wrong." Dr Malhotra and colleagues Professor Rita Redberg, from the University of California at San Francisco, and Pascal Meier from University Hospital Geneva in Switzerland and University College London, cited a "landmark" review of evidence that appeared to exonerate saturated fat. They said relative levels of "good" cholesterol, or high density lipoprotein (HDL), were a better predictor of heart disease risk than levels of low density lipoprotein (LDL), also known as "bad" cholesterol. High consumption of foods rich in saturated fat such as butter, cakes and fatty meat has been shown to increase blood levels of LDL. The experts wrote: "It is time to shift the public health message in the prevention and treatment of coronary artery disease away from measuring serum lipids (blood fats) and reducing dietary saturated fat. "Coronary artery disease is a chronic inflammatory disease and it can be reduced effectively by walking 22 minutes a day and eating real food." They pointed out that in clinical trials widening narrow arteries with stents -- stainless steel mesh devices -- failed to reduce the risk of heart attacks.

Comments

the "belief" is not "popular"

[turkeydance]

it is common, but not welcome.

Re:Who paid for this study?

[Anonymous Coward]

That will tell you the desired results without even looking.

It's all backed by the sinister agenda of Big "Walk a half an hour a day and don't eat garbage".

Re:Who paid for this study?

[lucm]

They do have an agenda. Big "Walk a half an hour a day and don't eat garbage" wants people to have a longer and healthier life so senior citizens can be milked longer by bingo halls and casinos. This lobby is in a perpetual fight against another lobby, Big "Eat sugar and die in your mid 60s" who want to accelerate the settlement of reverse mortgages.

Re:I often think dietary "science" is a myth

[Anonymous Coward]

If you are 52, it is probably time to trade in your 50 year old wife for a pair of 25s. That'll get the plumbing working again.

Re: Current claim

[93 Escort Wagon]

I only eat free range sugar and non-conflict butter.

Re: Lick my balls, MILLENIAL BeauHD

[Anonymous Coward]

Dir sir:

In which universe do you exist where fat and cholesterol are the same material?

42. And watch me be modded up for it too.