From BMJ Article

US nutritionists call for dietary guideline limits on saturated fat intake to be lifted

the bmj | BMJ 2020;371:m4226 | doi: 10.1136/bmj.m4226

Maryanne Demasi

Leading nutrition scientists have called for an urgent rethink of the 2020 US dietary guidelines, to be published at the end of this year.

In a letter to Congress, nutrition researchers and former members of the dietary guideline advisory committee (DGAC) have urged the departments of health and human services and agriculture to give “serious and immediate consideration” to lifting the cap placed on saturated fat intake.

The letter concludes that “there is no strong scientific evidence that the current population-wide upper limits on commonly consumed saturated fats in the US will prevent cardiovascular disease or reduce mortality. A continued limit on these fats is not justified.”

The conclusion runs counter to the prevailing view that consuming saturated fat raises low density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol and increases the risk of cardiovascular disease.

The same authors also published a review in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology,1 arguing that although saturated fats can raise LDL cholesterol, it is not the small, dense LDL particles but rather the larger buoyant LDL particles which are associated with less cardiovascular risk.2

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Tom Brenna, a member of the 2015 guidelines committee, told The BMJ that he was concerned that saturated fat was being considered in isolation, rather than as part of a larger food matrix. “Studies show that there are a number of foods that are quite healthy and high in saturated fats. To consider foods just on their saturated fat content is a mistake. In a way, it throws the baby out with the bath water,” he said.

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“We don’t have unanimity on saturated fat; a closer look is needed,” said Brenna. “At the very least, I’m hopeful that the dietary guidelines will acknowledge that many foods that are higher in saturated fats are also healthy foods.

To read the whole article (paywalled): https://www.bmj.com/content/371/bmj.m4226