FOR decades we have been fed official limits on the total fat in our diets. It鈥檚 time that ended, a position we have summarised in the journal .
Dietary policies have long emphasised limits. In 1980, the US recommended that no more than 30 per cent of daily calories should come from fat. The World Health Organization and many countries followed suit.
In place of fat, we were told to eat more carbohydrates. People and industry took the message to heart, and fat-reduced products followed 鈥� often rich in refined starch, added sugars and salt.
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But by 2000, growing research showed benefits from healthy fats, and harms in low-fat diets high in processed carbohydrates. So in raised the upper fat limit to 35 per cent and, for the first time, set a lower limit of 20 per cent. Few people noticed, and the low-fat craze continued.
Through continued advances in nutrition science, it is now clear that an emphasis on reducing total fat is not only unhelpful, but can be harmful. Whether for or preventing , diabetes, cardiovascular disease or cancer, evidence shows that it brings .
In contrast, meaningful health benefits are documented with high plant fat, supplemented with extra-virgin olive oil or nuts, in which total fat intake makes up more than 40 per cent of calories.
Based on these findings, the US Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee omitted a total fat limit in recommendations, ahead of final benchmarks this year.
The US, UK and others should take note. Existing advice is driving consumers and industry towards low-fat products high in refined carbs, sugars and salt; and away from healthy higher-fat foods such as nuts, vegetable oils and whole-fat dairy products.
By focusing on total fat, , and food formulations have at times become bizarre and paradoxical. Let鈥檚 remove this obsolete limit and focus instead on healthy wholefoods and .
鈥淏y focusing on total fat, dietary guidelines, policies and formulations have at times become bizarre鈥�
This article appeared in print under the headline 鈥淔at unlimited鈥�
