byAmerican College of Physicians

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A systematic review of 17 randomized trials found that among high cardiovascular risk individuals, reducing saturated fat was linked to lower all-cause mortality and possible reductions in cardiovascular deaths, heart attacks, and strokes. Notably, the greatest benefit for preventing nonfatal heart attacks occurred when saturated fats were replaced with polyunsaturated fats (PUFA) rather than simply reducing them.

For people atlow to intermediate cardiovascular risk, cutting or replacing saturated fat intake offered little or no benefit over five years. The study is published inAnnals of Internal Medicine.

Researchers from the University of Toronto, McMaster University, Texas A&M University, and colleagues reviewed trials involving 66,337 participants that compared the effect of reducing saturated fat intake or replacement with alternative nutrients such as PUFA on mortality and cardiovascular-related outcomes over at least two years.

The data show that overall, reducing saturated fat intake results in important reductions in total cholesterol and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C). Forhigh-risk individuals, low to moderate certainty evidence showed that reducing saturated fat intake may have important benefits for all-cause mortality, cardiovascular mortality, nonfatal myocardial infarction (MI), and stroke.

In particular, replacing saturated fat with PUFA showed important absolute reductions in nonfatal MI risk. For low-risk individuals, absolute benefits were not important. These findings suggest that saturated fat reduction may be most relevant for high-risk populations, and that PUFA replacement could enhance benefits.

More information Effect of Interventions Aimed at Reducing or Modifying Saturated Fat Intake on Cholesterol, Mortality, and Major Cardiovascular Events: A Risk Stratified Systematic Review of Randomized Trials, Annals of Internal Medicine (2025). DOI: 10.7326/ANNALS-25-02229 Annals of Internal Medicine (2025). www.acpjournals.org/doi/10.7326/ANNALS-25-04971 Journal information: Annals of Internal Medicine

Provided by American College of Physicians