Even when researchers accounted for how many total calories people ate or how much other fats they consumed, the link between saturated fat and heart disease still didn’t show up.
Scientific Claim
The association between saturated fat intake and cardiovascular disease risk was not significantly altered when analyses were restricted to studies that adjusted for total energy intake or for other dietary fats, suggesting the findings are robust to common methodological adjustments.
Original Statement
“Secondary analyses conducted within these studies [adjusting for total energy] showed results largely similar to the primary analysis... Similarly, 5 studies adjusted for energy from carbohydrate, protein, and fats but not polyunsaturated fat. The pooled RR (95% CI) for these studies was 1.07 (0.91, 1.25) for CHD...”
Evidence Quality Assessment
Claim Status
appropriately stated
Study Design Support
Design supports claim
Appropriate Language Strength
association
Can only show association/correlation
Assessment Explanation
The claim accurately reflects the study’s sensitivity analyses and avoids overstating robustness. It correctly uses neutral language and reports statistical results.
Evidence from Studies
Supporting (1)
Meta-analysis of prospective cohort studies evaluating the association of saturated fat with cardiovascular disease
This big study looked at lots of people over many years and found that eating more saturated fat didn’t make people more likely to have heart disease or stroke, even when researchers checked for other factors like overall calorie intake or other fats in the diet.