scholarly journals The Warning on Saturated Fat: From Defective Experiments to Defective Guidelines

KIMIKA ◽  
2017 ◽  
Vol 28 (2) ◽  
pp. 42-47
Author(s):  
Fabian M. Dayrit
Keyword(s):  
Heart Disease ◽  
Inflammatory Diseases ◽  
Saturated Fat ◽  
Coconut Oil ◽  
Heart Association ◽  
Dietary Guidelines ◽  
Omega 3 ◽  
Dietary Recommendations ◽  
International Agencies ◽  
Omega 6

Coconut oil has been adversely affected by the current dietary guidelines that advocate a lowering of total fat and the replacement of saturated fat with polyunsaturated fat. This recommendation has its origins in the saturated fat-cholesterol-heart disease hypothesis that Ancel Keys first proposed in 1957. This hypothesis became an official recommendation with the publication of the Dietary Guidelines for Americans in 1980 and has been adopted by many other countries and international agencies. The dietary recommendations also warn against coconut oil. Recently, the American Heart Association re-issued this warning in its 2017 Presidential Advisory. However, a critical review of the experiments that Keys conducted has revealed experimental errors and biases that cast serious doubt on the correctness of his hypothesis and the warnings against coconut oil. Further, the recommendation to decrease saturated fat recommendation effectively means an increase in unsaturated fat in the diet. The actual result has been an increase in omega-6 fats and a high omega-6 to omega-3 fat ratio. This unhealthy ratio has been linked to heart disease, the very disease that the AHA wants to target, as well as cancer and inflammatory diseases. Defective experiments have led to defective guidelines. This first paper in this series of papers will present these errors and biases and address the points raised by the AHA.

scholarly journals Tu1753 Central Functions Altered by Chronic High-Lipids Diets Enriched With Omega-3, Omega-6 or Saturated Fat

2013 ◽  
Vol 144 (5) ◽  
pp. S-837 ◽  
Author(s):  
David Val-Laillet ◽  
Paul Meurice ◽  
Jean-Paul Lalles ◽  
Charles-Henri Malbert
Keyword(s):  
Saturated Fat ◽  
Omega 3 ◽  
Omega 6 ◽  
3 Omega

scholarly journals Menu Descriptions and Nutrient Content of Food Items in U.S. Restaurants (FS02-01-19)

2019 ◽  
Vol 3 (Supplement_1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Danielle Krobath ◽  
William Masters ◽  
Megan Mueller
Keyword(s):  
Saturated Fat ◽  
Nutrient Content ◽  
The United States ◽  
Dietary Guidelines ◽  
Health Claims ◽  
Trans Fat ◽  
Dietary Recommendations ◽  
Food Items ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
Nutrient Data

Abstract Objectives This study concerns how the description of foods on restaurant menus relates to their nutrient content as disclosed on company websites. We aimed to test halo effects, regarding how claims about some desirable features might be associated with the presence of other attributes. Methods We used item descriptions and nutrient data for food items (n = 92,949) at the top-selling restaurant chains (n = 92) from 2012 through 2017 in the United States, compiled by the MenuStat project. We classified items into 4 types (mains, appetizers, desserts, sides) and claims into 3 groups using 29 search terms based on consumer interests in health (e.g., “nutritious”), product sourcing (e.g., “local” or “organic”), and vegetal items (vegetarian or vegan). Nutrient data focus on 4 dietary recommendations to limit sodium (mg), trans-fat (g) and saturated fats (% of energy), and to increase fiber (g). We also report calories per item (kcal) and its share from carbohydrates, protein and total fat (%). We used multiple regression to test whether nutrient content was associated with menu claims, controlling for year and restaurant brand, the item being marked as “shareable”, on a kid's menu, or regional and limited-time offerings. Methods and hypotheses were preregistered on As-Predicted.com. Results Contrary to our prediction, nutrient content was more often aligned with U.S. dietary guidelines when their description did include claims. With 3 claim types, 4 food types and 4 recommendations we test 48 possible cases. In 25 (52%) we found alignment between claims and nutrient recommendations, e.g., main dishes with health-related claims had 2% less calories from saturated fat (P < 0.01) and 142 mg less sodium (P < 0.01). In 3 of 48 cases (7%), claims were contrary to recommendations, all of which were desserts with sourcing claims which had more sodium, more trans-fat and more saturated fat than other desserts (all P < 0.01). In 20 of 48 cases (42%) there was no significant difference between items with and without claims. Conclusions Items described as vegetarian/vegan or with sourcing and health claims had nutrient contents that were more often aligned with dietary guidelines than other items. Menu labeling that communicates meal content more directly, such as nutrient fact panels, could inform choice and build trust in restaurant meals. Funding Sources None.

scholarly journals Mediterranean Diet: Lipids, Inflammation, and Malaria Infection

2020 ◽  
Vol 21 (12) ◽  
pp. 4489
Author(s):  
Adriana R. Silva ◽  
Bianca P. T. Moraes ◽  
Cassiano F. Gonçalves-de-Albuquerque
Keyword(s):  
Mediterranean Diet ◽  
Malaria Infection ◽  
Molecular Mechanisms ◽  
Inflammatory Diseases ◽  
Fatty Acid Content ◽  
Omega 3 ◽  
Beneficial Effects ◽  
Omega 6 ◽  
Potential Benefits ◽  
3 Omega

The Mediterranean diet (MedDiet) consists of consumption of vegetables and healthy oils and have beneficial effects on metabolic and inflammatory diseases. Our goal here is to discuss the role of fatty acid content in MedDiet, mostly omega-3, omega-6, and omega-9 on malaria. Malaria affects millions of people around the globe. The parasite Plasmodium causes the disease. The metabolic and inflammatory alterations in the severe forms have damaging consequences to the host. The lipid content in the MedDiet holds anti-inflammatory and pro-resolutive features in the host and have detrimental effects on the Plasmodium. The lipids from the diet impact the balance of pro- and anti-inflammation, thus, lipids intake from the diet is critical to parasite elimination and host tissue damage caused by an immune response. Herein, we go into the cellular and molecular mechanisms and targets of the MedDiet fatty acids in the host and the parasite, reviewing potential benefits of the MedDiet, on inflammation, malaria infection progression, and clinical outcome.

scholarly journals Health Implications of High Dietary Omega-6 Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids

2012 ◽  
Vol 2012 ◽  
pp. 1-16 ◽  
Author(s):  
E. Patterson ◽  
R. Wall ◽  
G. F. Fitzgerald ◽  
R. P. Ross ◽  
C. Stanton
Keyword(s):  
Fatty Acids ◽  
Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids ◽  
Inflammatory Diseases ◽  
Lipid Mediator ◽  
Omega 3 ◽  
Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver ◽  
Chronic Inflammatory Diseases ◽  
Signalling Molecules ◽  
Omega 6 ◽  
Inflammatory Bowel

Omega-6 (n-6) polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) (e.g., arachidonic acid (AA)) and omega-3 (n-3) PUFA (e.g., eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA)) are precursors to potent lipid mediator signalling molecules, termed “eicosanoids,” which have important roles in the regulation of inflammation. In general, eicosanoids derived from n-6 PUFA are proinflammatory while eicosanoids derived from n-3 PUFA are anti-inflammatory. Dietary changes over the past few decades in the intake of n-6 and n-3 PUFA show striking increases in the (n-6) to (n-3) ratio (~15 : 1), which are associated with greater metabolism of the n-6 PUFA compared with n-3 PUFA. Coinciding with this increase in the ratio of (n-6) : (n-3) PUFA are increases in chronic inflammatory diseases such as nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), cardiovascular disease, obesity, inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), rheumatoid arthritis, and Alzheimer's disease (AD). By increasing the ratio of (n-3) : (n-6) PUFA in the Western diet, reductions may be achieved in the incidence of these chronic inflammatory diseases.

Dietary saturated fat and heart disease: a narrative review

2019 ◽  
Vol 78 (6) ◽  
pp. 474-485 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jeffery L Heileson
Keyword(s):  
Heart Disease ◽  
Randomized Controlled Trials ◽  
Observational Studies ◽  
Meta Analysis ◽  
Saturated Fat ◽  
Heart Association ◽  
Controlled Trials ◽  
Randomized Controlled ◽  
Disease Outcomes ◽  
Meta Analyses

Abstract The American Heart Association (AHA) recently published a meta-analysis that confirmed their 60-year-old recommendation to limit saturated fat (SFA, saturated fatty acid) and replace it with polyunsaturated fat to reduce the risk of heart disease based on the strength of 4 Core Trials. To assess the evidence for this recommendation, meta-analyses on the effect of SFA consumption on heart disease outcomes were reviewed. Nineteen meta-analyses addressing this topic were identified: 9 observational studies and 10 randomized controlled trials. Meta-analyses of observational studies found no association between SFA intake and heart disease, while meta-analyses of randomized controlled trials were inconsistent but tended to show a lack of an association. The inconsistency seems to have been mediated by the differing clinical trials included. For example, the AHA meta-analysis only included 4 trials (the Core Trials), and those trials contained design and methodological flaws and did not meet all the predefined inclusion criteria. The AHA stance regarding the strength of the evidence for the recommendation to limit SFAs for heart disease prevention may be overstated and in need of reevaluation.

scholarly journals How well do Australian women comply with dietary guidelines?

2004 ◽  
Vol 7 (3) ◽  
pp. 443-452 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kylie Ball ◽  
Gita D Mishra ◽  
Christopher W Thane ◽  
Allison Hodge
Keyword(s):  
Economic Status ◽  
Saturated Fat ◽  
Population Based ◽  
Dietary Guidelines ◽  
Dietary Recommendations ◽  
Middle Aged ◽  
National Guidelines ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Behavioural Characteristics ◽  
Increased Risk

AbstractObjective:To investigate the proportion of middle-aged Australian women meeting national dietary recommendations and its variation according to selected sociodemographic and behavioural characteristics.Design:This cross-sectional population-based study used a food-frequency questionnaire to investigate dietary patterns and compliance with 13 commonly promoted dietary guidelines among a cohort of middle-aged women participating in the Australian Longitudinal Study on Women's Health.Setting:Nation-wide community-based survey.Subjects:A total of 10 561 women aged 50–55 years at the time of the survey in 2001.Results:Only about one-third of women complied with more than half of the guidelines, and only two women in the entire sample met all 13 guidelines examined. While guidelines for meat/fish/poultry/eggs/nuts/legumes and ‘extra’ foods (e.g. ice cream, chocolate, cakes, potatoes, pizza, hamburgers and wine) were met well, large percentages of women (68–88%) did not meet guidelines relating to the consumption of breads, cereal-based foods and dairy products, and intakes of total and saturated fat and iron. Women working in lower socio-economic status occupations, and women living alone or with people other than a partner and/or children, were at significantly increased risk of not meeting guidelines.Conclusions:The present results indicate that a large proportion of middle-aged Australian women are not meeting dietary guidelines. Without substantial changes in their diets, and help in making these changes, current national guidelines appear unachievable for many women.

scholarly journals Tu1748 Alterations in Ileal and Colonic Permeability by Chronic Intake of High-Lipid Diets Enriched With Omega-3, Omega-6 or Saturated Fat

2013 ◽  
Vol 144 (5) ◽  
pp. S-836 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jean-Paul Lalles ◽  
Cecile Perrier ◽  
David Val-Laillet ◽  
Charles-Henri Malbert
Keyword(s):  
Saturated Fat ◽  
Omega 3 ◽  
High Lipid ◽  
Omega 6 ◽  
3 Omega

scholarly journals Coconut Oil: Bringing History, Common Sense and Science Together

KIMIKA ◽  
2017 ◽  
Vol 28 (2) ◽  
pp. 55-61
Author(s):  
Fabian M. Dayrit
Keyword(s):  
Soybean Oil ◽  
Scientific Evidence ◽  
Saturated Fat ◽  
Coconut Oil ◽  
Epidemiological Studies ◽  
Western Diet ◽  
Animal Fats ◽  
Animal Fat ◽  
Omega 6 ◽  
Damaging Effects

The modern Western diet has suffered the damaging effects of trans fats, much of it from soybean oil. It is suffering another blow, this time from the damaging effects of an excess of omega-6 fats, again from soybean oil. The vast majority of epidemiological studies do not distinguish between coconut oil and animal fat, and simply refer to them collectively as “saturated fat.” This is a fatal mistake for two reasons: first, the fatty acid profiles of coconut oil and animal fat are very different, and second, coconut oil hardly has any cholesterol while animal fats contain a lot of cholesterol. This means that the results based on animal fat cannot be applied to coconut oil. Contrary to the claim of the AHA, there is abundant evidence to show that coconut oil and a coconut diet do not raise the incidence of heart disease and are, in fact, part of many healthy traditional diets. Many populations who shifted from a traditional coconut diet to a Western diet have suffered worse health outcomes. However, the historical and scientific evidence in support of coconut oil may not be enough to convince the AHA which favors a high omega-6 diet.

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