Substituting foods low in saturated fat may not be as beneficial for high cholesterol and weight loss as previously thought, suggests a new study led by graduate research assistant Bridget A. Hannon, right. Co-authors included, from left, pre-doctoral fellow Sharon V. Thompson and Margarita Teran-Garcia, who holds appointments in nutritional sciences, human development and family studies, and the Carle Illinois College of Medicine. Photo by L. Brian Stauffer
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — Metabolically healthy obese adults consuming a diet high in unsaturated fat and low in saturated fat may be able to decrease their total cholesterol by 10 points, a new study suggests. However, there was little research evidence to support current dietary recommendations that replacing saturated fat with unsaturated fat aids in weight loss, the researchers also reported in their meta-analysis of recent dietary studies. Nutrition scientists at the University of Illinois analyzed the findings of eight randomized controlled trials to investigate the impact of diets that provided similar amounts of calories, but high amounts of either saturated or unsaturated fats, on the blood lipid levels and body composition of overweight and obese adults. Each of the studies included a control group of participants who ate a diet high in saturated fats, constituting from 14 to 24 percent of their total energy intake. Found in animal products such as red meat, butter and dairy products, saturated fats have been linked to weight gain and increased risk of cardiovascular disease. Compared with their counterparts, subjects who ate greater amounts of monounsaturated fats and polyunsaturated fats reduced their total cholesterol by more than 10 milligrams per deciliter.
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