joann's health&fitness blog

You probably read about the study in which groups of post-menopausal women were divided into low-fat diet and comparison groups. Results showed non-significant differences in development of breast cancer, colorectal cancer, and heart disease. The press seemed to present this as overturning all previous research that indicated low-fat diets high in fruits and vegetables and grains prevent disease. Don't reach for the butter just yet. The researchers were more skeptical of their results than the press. First, any study that depends on self-reporting is going to be inexact. Also, most of the participants did not meet the goal of 20% of calories from fat. Other problems: the study may not have been long enough, types of fat were not differentiated, dietary changes may not have been sufficient for this group. The latest study does not often supercede all previous studies on a topic, although that seems to make good headlines. Eat your veggies, cut back on fat and sugar, and get some exercise.
Joann
http://www.healthandfitness.com/joann