None of the studies said, 'Eat less fat to live longer' — in fact, some warned it might not help or could even be harmful.

Pro

Against

Evidence from Studies

Supporting (1)

Community contributions welcome

Evidence from randomised controlled trials did not support the introduction of dietary fat guidelines in 1977 and 1983: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Systematic Review With Meta-Analysis

Human

2015

Before 1983, scientists tested whether eating less fat would help people live longer, but the studies showed no real benefit—so the government made dietary rules without proof they worked.

Contradicting (0)

Community contributions welcome

No contradicting evidence found

Source Study

Evidence from randomised controlled trials did not support the introduction of dietary fat guidelines in 1977 and 1983: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Score: 68

DOI: 10.1136/openhrt-2014-000196

Similar Assertions

The diets tested in the studies weren’t even the same as the official government advice — they were different and less strict.

82%

Before the government told everyone to eat less fat, no study had actually tested whether eating exactly that much fat helped people live longer.

76%

A group of experts who set dietary rules in 2020 ignored over 20 scientific studies saying saturated fat doesn’t hurt your heart, because government rules told them they couldn’t look at outside research.

75%

Some big studies that looked at lots of people who ate less saturated fat didn’t find that they lived longer or had fewer heart attacks, which makes people question why we’ve been told to avoid foods like butter and cheese for so long.

75%

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.

74%