For people who haven't had a heart attack yet, how much fat they eat doesn't seem to affect their chance of dying from heart disease, according to combined data from several long-term studies.

Scientific Claim

In populations without prior heart disease, dietary fat intake is not significantly linked to coronary heart disease mortality, based on meta-analysis of eight data sets from prospective cohort studies.

Original Statement

“Eight data sets were suitable for inclusion in meta-analysis; all excluded participants with previous heart disease.”

From study:Evidence from prospective cohort studies does not support current dietary fat guidelines: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Evidence Quality Assessment

Claim Status

appropriately stated

Study Design Support

Design cannot support claim

Appropriate Language Strength

association

Can only show association/correlation

Assessment Explanation

The claim accurately reflects the study’s inclusion criteria and the non-significant results. No causal language is used. Based on abstract only - full methodology not available to verify

Evidence from Studies

Supporting (1)

Evidence from prospective cohort studies does not support current dietary fat guidelines: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Systematic Review With Meta-Analysis

Human

2017 Dec

This study looked at lots of people without heart disease and found that eating more or less fat didn’t make them more or less likely to die from heart disease, so the idea that fat causes heart disease isn’t backed by this evidence.

Contradicting (0)

No contradicting evidence found

Source Study

Evidence from prospective cohort studies does not support current dietary fat guidelines: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Score: 47

DOI: 10.1136/bjsports-2016-096550

Similar Assertions

Multiple large-scale meta-analyses of prospective cohort studies demonstrate no statistically significant association between dietary saturated fat intake and incidence of coronary heart disease or cardiovascular disease.

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The studies used in this review mostly involved men, so we can't be sure the results apply to everyone, like women or different ethnic groups.

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The official advice to eat less fat to avoid dying of heart disease isn't backed up by the long-term studies of large groups of people.

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Eating more fat in your diet doesn't seem to make you more likely to die from heart disease, according to long-term studies of nearly 90,000 people.

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Eating more saturated fat, like butter or fatty meat, doesn't seem to raise your risk of heart disease, according to a big review of 16 long-term studies of adults.

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