Whether you're young or old, male or female, eating more saturated fat doesn't seem to affect your heart disease risk any differently, according to this big review.
Scientific Claim
The association between saturated fat intake and cardiovascular disease risk does not differ significantly by age group (<60 vs ≥60 years) or sex (male vs female), based on subgroup analyses of 21 prospective cohort studies.
Original Statement
“Subgroup analyses evaluating the association of saturated fat with CVD by sex or age (< or ≥ 60 y) showed no significant associations... In men, the pooled RR (95% CI) of CVD in relation to saturated fat intake was 0.97 (0.87, 1.08), whereas in women this figure was 1.06 (0.86, 1.32)... The associations for saturated fat intake were similar between participants who were younger than 60 y at baseline and those who were older...”
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 correctly uses neutral language and reports the absence of significant differences, consistent with the study’s statistical analyses. No overstatement of subgroup effects is made.
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 saturated fat doesn’t raise heart disease risk — and it didn’t matter if you were young or old, male or female; the result was the same for everyone.