http://www.theguardian.com/society/2016/may/22/official-advice-to-eat-low-fat-diet-is-wrong-says-health-charity?CMP=soc_567
Background
The average fat intake, and overall calorie intake, in the UK is way too high. Government dietary guidelines recommend a balanced diet: lots of fruit and vegetables, a fair amount of bread and cereals, a somewhat smaller amount of meat/fish/eggs, an even smaller amount of dairy. Their “reference intake” is 8400 kJ per day with 70 g of fat including 20 g of saturated fat, 260 g of carbohydrate including 90 g of sugars, and 50 g of protein. They recommend selecting low-fat food options, and in particular link heart disease incidence to a diet high in saturated fat.
Unfortunately, not many people are anywhere near these guidelines in the UK, with average intake 14000 kJ, and saturated fat making up higher % of energy intake than recommended.
This article
This article is about a report by a non-peer reviewed group with undisclosed funding called the National Obesity Forum. The report recommends a diet that is higher in fat, and in particular says:
“saturated fat does not cause heart disease while full-fat dairy, including milk, yoghurt and cheese, can actually protect the heart. Processed foods labelled low fat, lite, low cholesterol or proven to lower cholesterol should be avoided at all costs”
“Eating a diet rich in full-fat dairy – such as cheese, milk and yoghurt – can actually lower the chance of obesity.”
“Eat fat to get slim.”
“People should stop counting calories”
It is unsurprising to find that a non-peer reviewed body with undisclosed funding should release advice that is harmful and counter to evidence: the simplest assumption is that they are stooges for the dairy industry.
They take it a bit further by suggesting that the Food Industry is leaning on these government bodies and corrupting the scientific process.
The authors of the report also argue that the science of food has also been “corrupted by commercial influences”. Just as big tobacco companies bought the “loyalty of scientists” when a link was made between smoking and lung cancer, the influence of the food industry represents a “significant threat to public health”, they argued. They said the recent Eatwell Guide from Public Health England (PHE) was produced with a large number of people from the food and drink industry.
The authors misrepresent the guidelines, which do not recommend a “high-carbohydrate” diet. They also attempt to attribute the rise in obesity to the low-fat guidelines.
I quickly realised that guidelines from on high, suggesting high-carbohydrate, low-fat diets were the universal panacea, were deeply flawed. “Current efforts have failed – the proof being that obesity levels are higher than they have ever been, and show no chance of reducing despite the best efforts of government and scientists.”
Given the grave risks in disseminating dangerous dietary advice of the “eat fat to get slim” kind, the Guardian coverage of the report should be more critical and analytical.
In fairness to them, they do give some space to rebuttal to the evidence-based side of the argument:
But Prof John Wass, the Royal College of Physicians’ special adviser on obesity, said there was “good evidence that saturated fat increases cholesterol”. He added: “What is needed is a balanced diet, regular physical activity and a normal healthy weight. To quote selective studies risks misleading the public.”
Prof Simon Capewell, from the Faculty of Public Health, said: “We fully support Public Health England’s new guidance on a healthy diet. Their advice reflects evidence-based science that we can all trust. It was not influenced by industry. By contrast, the report from the National Obesity Forum is not peer reviewed. Furthermore, it does not it indicate who wrote it or how is was funded. That is worrying.”
Dr Mike Knapton, associate medical director at the British Heart Foundation (BHF), said: “This report is full of ideas and opinion, however it does not offer the robust and comprehensive review of evidence that would be required for the BHF, as the UK’s largest heart research charity, to take it seriously. This country’s obesity epidemic is not caused by poor dietary guidelines; it is that we are not meeting them.”
Prof Naveed Sattar, from the University of Glasgow, said the report’s “main headline – simply to eat more fat – is highly contentious and could have adverse public health consequences”.