Saturated fats and health: facts and feelings

The physiological relevance of dietary saturated fat, among other macronutrients, in the context of a healthy diet is discussed. D. Mozaffarian, Harvard University, School of Public Health, Department of Epidemiology, USA described evidence from ecological studies that contributed to our knowledge of life-style risk factors for heart disease, among them poor diet, inactivity, and smoking. J. Volek, University of Connecticut, Neag School of Education, USA presented data that showed low-carbohydrate diets improved many biomarkers such as blood glucose, insulin, triglycerides, and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol in persons with metabolic syndrome. Dairy consumption also reduced the risk for colorectal and bladder cancer by approximately 20%.