Lifting the Ban On Fats

Every year health professionals are bombarded with new information from studies published all over the world. Just when we think that there’s substantial evidence to support one health claim, new studies come along to disprove it. Certainty in the health world is elusive; especially when it comes to food. This year the Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee, or the DGAC, made some radical changes on the recommendation for fat intake and it is important to understand why.

The Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee are a group of independent scientists hired by the government to analyze current literature and review recent studies based on food. They do not issue the dietary guidelines but they offer the top notch evidence to support recommendations made by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA).

The dietary guidelines are meant to be reviewed, revised and redesigned with current information. Modern technology and higher standards allow the DGAC to be as accurate with new information as possible. With access to evolving research, we are finding that some previously published recommendations are not as ideal as we once believed.

In the 1980’s the Dietary Guidelines for Americans set a limit on fat intake. They recommended that dietary intake be less than 30% of a person’s daily calories. The object of this recommendation was to lower the average person’s consumption of saturated fat and dietary cholesterol. Saturated fat and cholesterol are believed to contribute to heart disease, coronary artery disease and atherosclerosis.

However, researchers are now finding a problem with this limit. The issue with putting a limit on total fat means that many Americans are decreasing their intake of healthy unsaturated fatty acids like oils from nuts, vegetables and fish.  These unsaturated fats are important to your health as they can improve blood cholesterol.

It is important to also note that there is currently no standing evidence that shows that a diet higher in unsaturated fats, even when it is above 35% of total calories, increases the risk for cardiovascular disease like other fats do.

Surprisingly, this recommendation to limit fat also has implications on carbohydrate intake. Studies have found that when there is a limit on dietary fat intake, there is an inverse relationship between consumption of fats and carbohydrates. When there is less dietary fat being consumed, people often consume more highly processed carbohydrates, like sugar-laden foods and refined grains instead.

What the DGCA realized was that this cap on dietary fat was actually doing more harm than good. Limiting a major macronutrient deters the public from making smart choices to promote a healthy lifestyle. Consumers are instead turning to low-fat options. These low-fat alternatives to regular fat options may have half the calories, but are many times replaced with hydrogenated oils otherwise known as trans-fats. Trans fats maintain the consistency of foods and increase shelf-life however, current research suggests that trans fats contribute to a plethora of adverse health effects such as type 2 diabetes, heart disease and stroke.

The American public relies on the information that comes from the DGCA. Dietitians, doctors and other health professionals utilize the Dietary Guidelines to provide the best care to their patients. Although the knowledge that we have today may be fleeting tomorrow, we know that a well-balanced diet is the key to maintaining an overall healthy lifestyle.

Your Turn to Take Action: What are your thoughts on this revised recommendation? Comment below.

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