High saturated fat consumption decreases the risk of coronary heart disease by 14%

This study was published in the American Journal of Epidemiology 1984 May;119(5):667-76

 

Study title and authors:

Ten-year incidence of coronary heart disease in the Honolulu Heart Program. Relationship to nutrient intake.

McGee DL, Reed DM, Yano K, Kagan A, Tillotson J.

 

This study can be accessed at: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/6720666

The study investigated the association of nutrient intake to the risk of developing coronary heart disease. The study included 8,006 men, aged 45 to 68, who were followed for ten years.

The study found:
(a) In men under 60, those who consumed the most saturated fat had an 8% decreased risk of coronary heart disease compared to the men who consumed the least saturated fat.
(b)  In men over 60, those who consumed the most saturated fat had a 30% decreased risk of coronary heart disease compared to the men who consumed the least saturated fat.
(c) In all men, those who consumed the most saturated fat had a 14% decreased risk of coronary heart disease compared to the men who consumed the least saturated fat.

The data from the study shows that a higher consumption of saturated fat is associated with a decreased risk of coronary heart disease.