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. 2024 Jun 3:12:1396576.
doi: 10.3389/fpubh.2024.1396576. eCollection 2024.

Effect of reducing saturated fat intake on cardiovascular disease in adults: an umbrella review

Adolfo Aramburu  1   2 , Gandy Dolores-Maldonado  1 , Katherine Curi-Quinto  1 , Karen Cueva  1 , Giancarlo Alvarado-Gamarra  1 , Katherine Alcalá-Marcos  3 , Carlos R Celis  1 , Claudio F Lanata  1   4
Affiliations

Effect of reducing saturated fat intake on cardiovascular disease in adults: an umbrella review

Adolfo Aramburu et al. Front Public Health. .

Abstract

Introduction: Our objective was to explore the effect of the reduction of saturated fat (SAF) intake on cardiovascular disease, mortality and other health-related outcomes in adults.

Methods: We conducted an umbrella review, searching Medline, Scopus, EMBASE, Cochrane Library, and LILACS databases for systematic reviews from December 1, 2012, to December 1, 2022. We have included meta-analyses of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and cohort studies. We extracted effect sizes (95%CI), heterogeneity (I 2), and evidence quality rating based on the population, intervention, comparator, and outcomes.

Results: 21 meta-analyses were included (three were from RCTs, and 18 were from cohort studies). Among meta-analyses of RCTs, 15 of the 45 associations were significant. The effect of reduction in SAF intake on combined cardiovascular events (RR 0.79, 95%CI 0.66-0.93) was graded as having moderate certainty of evidence. We found no effect on all-cause mortality, cardiovascular mortality, cancer deaths, and other cardiovascular events. Among meta-analyses of cohort studies, five of the 19 associations were significant. There was an increase in coronary heart disease mortality (HR 1.10, 95% CI 1.01-1.21) and breast cancer mortality (HR 1.51, 95% CI 1.09-2.09) in participants with higher SFA intake compared to reduced SFA. We found no effect on all-cause mortality, cardiovascular mortality, and other cardiovascular events.

Conclusion: This umbrella review found the reduction in SAF intake probably reduces cardiovascular events and other health outcomes. However, it has little or no effect on cardiovascular mortality and mortality from other causes. More high-quality clinical trials with long-term follow-up are needed.Systematic review registration: CRD42022380859.

Keywords: adult; cardiovascular diseases; dietary fats; fatty acids; mortality.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Flow chart of study selection.
Figure 2
Figure 2
The effects of reduced intake of saturated fats as reported in meta-analyses of RCTs. CI, Confidence intervals; I2, Statistic assessment of heterogeneity; GRADE, Grading of recommendations, assessment, development, and evaluations; AMSTAR-2, A Measurement Tool to Assess Systematic Reviews; RR, Relative risk; MI, Myocardial infarction; CHD, Coronary heart disease; NR, No reported; and SFA, Saturated fatty acids.
Figure 3
Figure 3
The effects of increased intake of saturated fats as reported in cohort meta-analyses. CI, Confidence intervals; I2, Statistic assessment of heterogeneity; GRADE, Grading of recommendations, assessment, development, and evaluations; AMSTAR-2, A Measurement Tool to Assess Systematic Reviews; HR, Hazard ratio; RR, Relative risk; CVD, Cardiovascular disease; CHD, Coronary heart disease; ICH, Intracerebral hemorrhage; SAH, Subarachnoid hemorrhage; NR, No reported; and SFA, Saturated fatty acids.
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