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Dr James DiNicolantonio said a “compelling argument can be made for the general lack of evidence in support of a low-fat diet”

Diets low in saturated fat do not prevent heart disease, a top scientist warned last night.

Writing in the journal Open Heart, leading US cardiovascular research scientist Dr James DiNicolantonio said a “compelling argument can be made for the general lack of evidence in support of a low-fat diet”.

He added that the “public fear” that saturated fat raises cholesterol is “completely unfounded”.

He wrote: “There is no conclusive proof that a low-fat diet has any positive effects on health. Indeed, the literature indicates a general lack of any effect (good or bad) from a reduction in fat intake.

“The public fear that saturated fat raises cholesterol is completely unfounded as the low-density lipoprotein particle size distribution is worsened when fat is replaced with carbohydrate.”

Instead, he warned the causes increasing poor health are diets high in carbohydrate and sugar and a public health campaign is “drastically needed to educate on the harms of a diet high in (these foods).”

Dr DiNicolantoni said the idea that fat causes heart disease was based on a flawed 1950s study which used data from six countries but excluded data from another 16.

He said this study “seemingly led us down the wrong ‘dietary road’ for decades to follow”.

Last night Brian Ratcliffe, professor of nutrition at Aberdeen’s Robert Gordon University, welcomed Dr DiNicolantonio’s article.

Prof Ratcliffe said: “For the last three decades, accumulating evidence has not provided strong support for the dietary recommendations regarding reducing fat and saturated fat intake.

"DiNicolantonio does not even touch on the evidence which shows that low-fat diets...have been associated with poor mood and even depression.”

But Prof Tom Sanders, head of diabetes and nutritional sciences division in the School of Medicine at King’s College London, said Dr DiNicolantoni’s assessment was “not helpful”.

“Refocusing dietary advice on sugar and away from fat modification and reduction is not helpful,” he said.

He added: “Dietary advice to avoid fatty meat products, choose reduced-fat dairy produce, and to restrict intakes of cakes, biscuits and puddings, which are often both high in saturated fat and sugar, and to select foods containing unsaturated oils such as nuts, fish and vegetable oils remain good sense.”

http://www.mirror.co.uk/lifestyle/health...2#ixzz2vBOwfX7e
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Jeesh, any data to back up these claims??? That's usually how these things work, isn't it?