Fat Does Not Become The Enemy

Whenever my patients bring up diet, they ask about fat. It’s an important topic because trans fats, high cholesterol, obesity, diabetes, and atherosclerosis all seem to go hand in hand. Dr. Atkins devotees say fat is fine; Dr. Ornish aficionados say it should be avoided at almost all costs. But a recent study by the Women’s Health Initiative (WHI) suggests that the link between dieting and fat intake may not be as strong as we think.

The WHI study was begun in 1993 with nearly 50,000 women between the ages of 50 and 79 years. In one part of the WHI, half the women were asked to eat as usual and given generic diet-related education material. The other half were assigned to follow a low-fat diet and participate in a variety of nutritional counseling sessions. The goal of the low-fat-diet group was to reduce their fat intake from 38% of calories to 20%.

In reality, though, they only got it down to 29%. After following these guidelines for eight years, researchers found that the women did not have any additional protection against cancer or heart disease, and their weight was about the same as those following their usual diet.

What’s most striking here is not the result, but the fact that even though these women agreed to participate in a study with a goal of 20% fat intake, and were given significant assistance, they were only able to bring it down to 29%. My patients' experiences, and I admit my own, support how difficult it is to control total fat intake. That’s why I encourage my patients to monitor what kinds of fats they eat, not just how much fat. I recommend a diet low in saturated fat, trans fat and cholesterol.