As saturated fat and cholesterol increase in the diet, then rates of heart attack and death decrease

This study was published in Arteriosclerosis 1989 Jan-Feb;9(1):129-35

Study title and authors:
Test of effect of lipid lowering by diet on cardiovascular risk. The Minnesota Coronary Survey.

Frantz ID Jr, Dawson EA, Ashman PL, Gatewood LC, Bartsch GE, Kuba K, Brewer ER.
Department of Medicine, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis 55455.

This study can be accessed at: http://atvb.ahajournals.org/content/9/1/129.long

This study compared the effects of 2 diets cholesterol levels and the incidence of heart attacks, sudden deaths, and all-cause mortality. The trial included 9,057 men and women.

The diets were either:

(i) 39% fat control diet (18% saturated fat, 5% polyunsaturated fat, 16% monounsaturated fat, 446 mg dietary cholesterol per day) (High saturated fat, high cholesterol diet)

(ii) 38% fat treatment diet (9% saturated fat, 15% polyunsaturated fat, 14% monounsaturated fat, 166 mg dietary cholesterol per day) (Low saturated fat, low cholesterol diet)

The study found:

(a) Cholesterol levels remained similar on the high saturated fat, high cholesterol diet.

(b) Cholesterol levels fell by 16% on the low saturated fat, low cholesterol diet.

(c) Those on the low saturated fat, low cholesterol diet had a 5% increased risk of of heart attack and sudden death compared to those on the high saturated fat, high cholesterol diet.

(d) Those on the low saturated fat, low cholesterol diet had a 6% increase in death rates compared to those on the high saturated fat, high cholesterol diet.

This study reveals that as animal fat and animal protein increase in the diet, then rates of heart attack and death decrease.