Walter Willett used this study [it isn't really a study, but an analytical review of 27 studies, so it is more important than one single study] to prove that replacing saturated fat [animal fat] with carbohydrate lowered HDL [good cholesterol] and raised triglycerides even though total cholesterol and LDL [bad cholesterol] were lowered by carbs over saturated fat. The point is that HDL and triglycerides are now considered the primary indicators of heart disease risk. Willett then said that replacing saturated fat [animal fat, palm oil, coconut oil] with monounsaturated fat [olive oil] lowers total cholesterol and LDL but doesn't lower HDL and doesn't raise triglycerides.

When I actually looked at the abstract, I was in for a big surprise! This says that the best way to raise HDL [good cholesterol] is to eat saturated fat! It says ALL fats raised HDL , but saturated fat raised it the most!

It hasn't been proven that total cholesterol is significant in figuring risk for heart disease. But it has been proven that HDL is significant. Saturated fat may keep total cholesterol a little higher than the other fats, but it keeps HDL at the highest.

This type of study review can't easily be argued against since it is a consensus of 27 controlled studies. Unbelievable that it was published in 1992 and the Amer Heart Assoc didn't mention it until 2000 in its guidelines for diet. And even then it gets a small paragraph that says in cases of low HDL perhaps it would be best to increase unsaturated [such as vegetable oil and fish oil, not saturated] fats in the diet. At this pace, the general public is not going to get the message for another 20 years.

I'll update this when I get a copy of the full article in a few days.

Arterioscler Thromb 1992 Aug;12(8):911-9

Effect of dietary fatty acids on serum lipids and lipoproteins. A meta-analysis of 27 trials.
Mensink RP, Katan MB.

Department of Human Biology, Limburg University, Maastricht, The Netherlands.

To calculate the effect of changes in carbohydrate and fatty acid intake on serum lipid and lipoprotein levels, we reviewed 27 controlled trials published between 1970 and 1991 that met specific inclusion criteria. These studies yielded 65 data points, which were analyzed by multiple regression analysis using isocaloric exchanges of saturated (sat), monounsaturated (mono), and polyunsaturated (poly) fatty acids versus carbohydrates (carb) as the independent variables. For high density lipoprotein (HDL) we found the following equation: delta HDL cholesterol (mmol/l) = 0.012 x (carb----sat) + 0.009 x (carb----mono) + 0.007 x (carb---- poly) or, in milligrams per deciliter, 0.47 x (carb----sat) + 0.34 x (carb----mono) + 0.28 x (carb----poly). Expressions in parentheses denote the percentage of daily energy intake from carbohydrates that is replaced by saturated, cis-monounsaturated, or polyunsaturated fatty acids. All fatty acids elevated HDL cholesterol when substituted for carbohydrates, but the effect diminished with increasing unsaturation of the fatty acids. For low density lipoprotein (LDL) the equation was delta LDL cholesterol (mmol/l) = 0.033 x (carb----sat) - 0.006 x (carb----mono) - 0.014 x (carb----poly) or, in milligrams per deciliter, 1.28 x (carb----sat) - 0.24 x (carb----mono) - 0.55 x (carb---- poly). The coefficient for polyunsaturates was significantly different from zero, but that for monounsaturates was not. For triglycerides the equation was delta triglycerides (mmol/l) = -0.025 x (carb----sat) - 0.022 x (carb----mono) - 0.028 x (carb---- poly) or, in milligrams per deciliter, -2.22 x (carb----sat) - 1.99 x (carb----mono) - 2.47 x (carb----poly).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)