Introduction
Chapters Three and Four respectively reviewed the randomised controlled trial (RCT) evidence available at the time dietary fat guidelines were introduced and currently available. This chapter will report on a systematic review to assess if the published epidemiological evidence available to the dietary committees supported their recommendations on dietary fat.
While the UK nutritional guidelines [16] made reference to epidemiological studies, the US committee document [15] did not. The UK guidelines referenced the Seven countries Study [20]. The UK document also referenced studies in Framingham, Hawaii/Honolulu, London and Puerto Rico [21-23].
In this chapter, the hypothesis that the epidemiological evidence available to the US and UK committees did not endorse their recommendations to reduce dietary fat intake to 30% of total calories and saturated fat intake to 10% of total calories, with the intention of reducing CHD mortality, will be tested.
Methods
Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) is the Cochrane methodology for systematic review and meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials (RCTs) [3]. The best-practice methodology for systematic review and meta-analysis of observational studies is Meta-analysis Of Observational Studies in Epidemiology methodology (MOOSE) [8]. MOOSE is the methodology used in this chapter. MOOSE builds upon the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) methodology and uses parts of PRISMA as appropriate, for example the figure for presenting search methodology [3].
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