Dietary fats and cardiovascular disease – Dispelling the myths

Cardiovascular diseases (CVD) are the greatest cause of death globally. High intakes of dietary saturated fatty acids (SFA) have been linked to an increased risk of cardiovascular events, primarily through their association with raised serum low density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol, and their reduction has formed the backbone of dietary guidelines to prevent CVD for decades. However, there is some confusion over what should replace SFA in our diets. Evidence indicates that replacement of SFA with carbohydrates, particularly refined sources, has minimal benefit to CVD mortality. Whereas replacement with unsaturated fats, particularly cis polyunsaturated fatty acids, has beneficial effects and is a recommendation in current guidelines. However not all SFA are equal and foods rich in SFA have differential associations with CVD risk. The associations of dietary sources of dietary fats, including dairy, meat and plants will be presented. The evidence for the associations of dairy and CVD will be discussed and potential mechanistic links between saturated fats, dairy foods and CVD risk factors will be explored.