Health experts are at odds over issue of low fat and low cholesterol diets to address the issue of obesity.
Based on a report by the Guardian, one health charity is negating the idea of following low fat diets and lowering cholesterol to combat obesity being promoted by the Eatwell Guide from Public Health England.
"Eating fat does not make you fat," a report from the National Obesity Forum and the Public Health Collaboration stated, saying the public policy being promoted by the PHE was heavily influenced by major players in the food and drink industry.
The health charity claimed the promotion of the low fat diet and low cholesterol has not made any significant impact on Britain's obesity crisis and in fact poses "disastrous health consequences" for the public.
"Eating a diet rich in full-fat dairy – such as cheese, milk and yoghurt – can actually lower the chance of obesity. The most natural and nutritious foods available – meat, fish, eggs, dairy products, nuts, seeds, olive, avocados – all contain saturated fat. The continued demonisation of omnipresent natural fat drives people away from highly nourishing, wholesome and health-promoting foods," the report stated.
Dr. Aseem Malhotra, who is a founding member of the PublicHealth Collaboration, said that the promotion of low fat foods is"perhaps the biggest mistake in modern medical history, resulting in devastating consequences for public health".
"Sadly this unhelpful advice continues to be perpetuated. The current Eatwell Guide from Public Health England is in my view more like a metabolic timebomb than a dietary pattern conducive for good health. We must urgently change the message to the public to reverse obesity and type 2 diabetes," he said.
For its part, PHE, through its chief nutritionist Dr. Alison Tedstone, hit back at the report and allegations that their policy is defective.
"In the face of all the evidence, calling for people to eat more fat, cut out carbs and ignore calories is irresponsible. Unlike this opinion piece, our independent experts review all the available evidence – often thousands of scientific papers – run full-scale consultations and go to great lengths to ensure no bias."
