The “vilification” of saturated fats dates back to the 1950s when research suggested a link between high dietary saturated fat intake and deaths from heart disease.
But the study author drew his conclusions on data from six countries, choosing to ignore the data from a further 16, which did not fit along with his hypothesis, and which subsequent analysis of all 22 countries’ data.
Nevertheless the research stuck and since the 1970s most public health organisations have actually advised people to cut down on fat.
Dr Dariush Mozaffarian, dean of the Friedman School added: “Overall, our results suggest that butter should neither be demonized nor considered as a route to good health.”
“More research is needed to better understand the observed potential lower risk of diabetes, which has actually also been suggested in some other studies of dairy fat. This could be real, or due to other factors linked to eating butter .”
However health experts and charities warned versus consuming too much butter.
Tracy Parker, Heart Health Dietitian at the British Heart Foundation, said: “Whilst the findings of this review indicate a small or neutral association between butter consumption and increased cardiovascular risk, it does not give us the green light to start eating more butter. More investigations are needed into the effects of saturated fat.
“To protect your heart health we would certainly recommend a balanced Mediterranean style diet rich in fruit, vegetables and pulses.”
Prof Pete Wilde, Research Leader, Food and Health Programme, Institute of Food Research, said: “It is not clear how associated lifestyle affects this relationship. It could be that consumers of butter also consume a range of other dairy products.”
The research was reported in the journal PLOS one.
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