11 Feb Recommendations To Restrict Dietary Fat Not Supported By Clinical Trials

MedicalResearch.com Interview with:
James J. DiNicolantonio, PharmD
Associate Editor BMJ Open Heart
Cardiovascular Research Scientist
Saint Luke’s Mid America Heart Institute

Medical Research: What is the background for this study? What are the main findings

Response: There were 6 randomized controlled dietary trials performed before the government dietary fat recommendations were released.  When we performed a systematic review and meta-analysis of the available trials at this time, there was no significant difference in all-cause mortality or cardiovascular heart disease mortality.  In essence, there was no support from randomized controlled trials at the time to support a reduction in fat and saturated fat (and there still isn’t from recent meta-analysis including newer trials).

The reductions in mean serum cholesterol levels were significantly higher in the intervention groups but this did not result in significant differences in cardiovascular heart disease or all-cause mortality.

Medical Research: What should clinicians and patients take away from your report?

Response: Recommendations to restrict saturated fat or total fat in the diet that began back in the late 1970s and early 1980s were not supported by the randomized clinical trials at the time, and in fact are still not supported by the randomized control trial evidence in the current-day.

Medical Research: What recommendations do you have for future research as a result of this study?

Response: Future research should target added sugars, which are likely dietary culprit involved in early mortality and cardiovascular heart disease mortality.

Citation:

Original research article: Evidence from randomised controlled trials did not support the introduction of dietary fat guidelines in 1977 and 1983: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Zoë Harcombe, Julien S Baker, Stephen Mark Cooper, Bruce Davies, Nicholas Sculthorpe, James J DiNicolantonio, Fergal Grace

Open Heart 2015;2:1 e000196 doi:10.1136/openhrt-2014-000196

Webpage: http://www.saintlukeshealthsystem.org/dinicolantonio

Research: https://www.researchgate.net/profile/James_Dinicolantonio

Twitter: https://twitter.com/jjdinicol

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MedicalResearch.com Interview with:, & James J. DiNicolantonio, PharmD (2015). Recommendations To Restrict Dietary Fat Not Supported By Clinical Trials MedicalResearch.com

Last Updated on February 11, 2015 by Marie Benz MD FAAD