For a long time, the scientific community has believed that consuming high amounts of fat is harmful! However, the latest research funded by the U.S. government has provided evidence: whether you eat a lot or a little fat, the risk of developing dangerous diseases such as atherosclerosis and cancer remains the same!
This shocking conclusion comes from a study known as the Women’s Health Initiative (WHI).
The study monitored the eating habits of 48,835 women and tracked the diseases they developed over 15 years, starting in 1992.
The U.S. government funded this research with $415 million.
Beginning in 1992, WHI researchers followed 48,835 postmenopausal women aged 50 to 79.
Proper nutrition helps reduce the risk of disease.
In the image: A meal in the U.S. (Illustrative photo from a foreign website)
To enhance the reliability of the study results, the women monitored came from diverse racial backgrounds, though the majority were White (82%). The remaining participants included Black (11%), Hispanic (4%), and Asian (2%) women, most of whom were obese.
To test the hypothesis regarding fat and diseases such as heart disease and cancer, the women were randomly divided into two groups.
Group 1, consisting of 19,541 individuals (about 40%), was instructed on how to maintain their fat intake at around 20% of total calories. Group 2, the control group, with 29,294 individuals, continued their usual eating habits without any changes.
Comparing the disease rates between the two groups through statistical data analysis, researchers found the results to be astonishing!
The incidence of diseases such as cancer and heart disease in both groups was nearly identical, indicating that the “difference was not statistically significant”!
Specifically, in Group 2 (the group consuming a normal diet with higher fat), the rate of breast cancer was 0.45%. Meanwhile, Group 1 (the low-fat group) had a breast cancer rate of only 0.42%.
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| No need to avoid fats. In the image: Two women at a bread counter (Illustrative photo from a foreign website) |
For colon cancer, Group 1 had an annual incidence rate of 0.13%. In contrast, the control group had a rate of 0.12% per year.
Regarding heart disease, Group 1 had a rate of 0.86% of women diagnosed with heart disease, while Group 2 (the control group) had a rate of 0.88%.
In summary, there was no significant difference in the risks of heart disease and cancer between the low-fat group and the control group, who consumed a normal diet with higher fat content!
In other words, whether you eat less fat or not, it does not significantly reduce the risk of breast cancer, colon cancer, atherosclerosis, stroke, or overall mortality.
This conclusion has overturned a nutritional theory that has prevailed since World War II.
Previous studies suggested that fats increase cholesterol levels. High cholesterol can clog arteries, leading to atherosclerosis. Fats were also believed to raise cancer risks, particularly breast and colon cancers.
Being afflicted with either of these conditions (heart disease or cancer) usually leads to premature death. Therefore, it was thought best to avoid fats!
This scientific truth was firmly believed!
Now, everything has changed with the undeniable statistical data from the WHI study.
N.K.Y (Summarized from an article by Dr. Nguyễn Văn Tuấn titled “The Final Verdict: Fat Does Not Affect Cancer and Heart Disease” published on ykhoanet)
