Gabe Mirkin, M.D.
Almost 50,000 women in the Women's Health Initiative
Dietary Modification Trial from Harvard Medical School were
given dietary counseling to reduce their fat intake to less than 20
percent of their daily calories (Clinical Diabetes, July 2006). This
intense dietary counseling did not reduce the incidence of heart
attacks, strokes, or cancers even though the women reduced
their intake of fat by 8.2 percent.
Their data from the eight-year follow up show that it is
difficult to reduce total fat intake, and that dietary counseling to
reduce total fat intake does not reduce the risk of heart attacks or
cancers. It lowered weight only an average of three pounds and
diastolic blood pressure only slightly. However, other studies
have shown that reducing total fat intake does lower risk for
certain cancers.
The probable reason for these dismal results is that food
contains both good fats and bad fats. Most doctor agree that we
should restrict saturated fats found in meat, chicken and whole
milk diary products, and partially hydrogenated fats found in
many prepared foods. However, the monounsaturated fats found
in seeds and nuts and the omega-3 fatty acids found in seafood
and seeds are healthful fats that should not be restricted.
September 15, 2006