Today, more is known about how dietary fat affects the body.
Recommendations now center on promoting some fats while limiting others.
Not all fats are created equal.
Gary Waters/Ikon Images/Getty Images
The first edition of The Dietary Goals for the United States was published in 1977.
Fat was identified as the primary culprit.
The guidelines, while well-intentioned, greatly influenced average Americans perception of a healthy diet.
There was no distinction between “good” and “bad” fats.
As a result, many people were avoiding otherwise-healthy foods based on their fat content alone.
Updated guidelines focus on finding a healthy balance of “good” fats and other important nutrients.
Like fats, proteins help you feel full, so be sure to consume plenty of protein-rich foods.
Trans fats are unsaturated fats that have been processed to make them more shelf-stable.
They usually show up on food labels as “hydrogenated” or “partially hydrogenated” oils.
Trans fats should be avoided altogether, both for general health and especially on a low-fat diet.
However, to keep this weight off, you will need to continue limiting fat in your diet.
But there are drawbacks to be aware of, most notably the change in expert advice regarding fat consumption.
Overarchingly, the evidence does not support low-fat diets over other dietary interventions for long-term weight loss.
Additionally, evidence has suggested that following unhealthy low-fat diets may actually be associated with increased risk of death.
Cutting out too much fat means your body won’t be able to absorb these important nutrients.
Mental Health Risks
Dietary fat is important for brain health and development.
In particular, some research has shown that fatty acids from unsaturated fats might protect against depression.
For heart health, consider the Mediterranean or DASH diets.
U.S. Department of Agriculture and U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.History of theDietary Guidelines.
Bhandari P, Sapra A.Low Fat Diet.In: StatPearls [Internet].
Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing.
2020 Apr 1;180(4):513-523. doi: 10.1001/jamainternmed.2019.6980.
2011;6(1):e16268.
doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0016268
U.S. Department of Agriculture and U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2020-2025.
Vannice G, Rasmussen H.Position of the academy of nutrition and dietetics: dietary fatty acids for healthy adults.
2014;114(1):136-53. doi:10.1016/j.jand.2013.11.001
