Dietary fat intake and serum cholesterol levels in coronary heart disease.

In South Africa tremendous publicity is being given to the very high death rate from coronary heart disease (CHD) in the White and Indian populations. Certain advertisements and articles in the lay press have poured scorn on the advice given to the public by various medical and nutritional bodies to reduce fat intake, especially that of animal origin, in order to lower serum cholesterol level and, hopefully, reduce the occurrence of CHD. Furthermore, a number of overseas critics, some of high standing, have belittled the relationship between diet, in particular fat, and atherogenesis and CHD. In seeking to clarify the situation, a number of questions have been posed and answered from currently available information. It is shown, inter alia, that the principal challenges of sceptics are based on insubstantial evidence. It is concluded that the recommendations of authoritative bodies to combat CHD are worthy of urgent consideration, in respect of both dietary and non-dietary changes. It is maintained that public health benefits--other than the amelioration of CHD--shich are achievable by avoiding severe obesity, stopping smoking and reducing hypertension, are beyond dispute.