Should We Be Eating More Fat?

Advice to eat more fat is irresponsible and potentially deadly, Public Health England’s chief nutritionist said.

15:52 24 May 2016

Dr Alison Tedstone, Public Health England’s chief nutritionist, said that the report released by the National Obesity Forum, which suggests that eating fat could help cut obesity and type 2 diabetes, is irresponsible and potentially deadly. She said: 

 

"In the face of all the evidence, calling for people to eat more fat, cut out carbs and ignore calories is irresponsible."

 

"It's a risk to the nation's health when potentially influential voices suggest people should eat a high fat diet, especially saturated fat. Too much saturated fat in the diet increases the risk of raised cholesterol, a route to heart disease and possible death."

 

The report was also criticised by other experts saying that the report cherry-picked and misquoted evidence.

Dr Aseem Malhotra, a senior adviser to the National Obesity Forum, said: "The change in dietary advice to promote low fat foods is perhaps the biggest mistake in modern medical history.

"We must urgently change the message to the public to reverse obesity and type 2 diabetes. Eat fat to get slim, don't fear fat, fat is your friend."

 

Meanwhile, the Royal Society for Public Health said that the report is "muddled manifesto of sweeping statements, generalisations and speculation".