Cross-cultural associations:

Average saturated fat intake and 25-year coronary heart disease rates in the 16 cohorts

The average population intake of saturated fat varied between 3% of energy in Japan and 22% of energy in Eastern Finland in the 1960s. There was also a 6-fold range in 25-year CHD mortality rates among the 16 cohorts. The average saturated fat intake at baseline was strongly correlated with 25-year CHD mortality rates. The higher the saturated fat intake, the higher the CHD mortality rate.

Saturated fat was strongly correlated with long-term CHD mortality

Different sources of saturated fat in different countries

The dietary surveys carried out in the 1960s showed that the most important sources of saturated fat were butter in Finland, hard margarine in The Netherlands and lard in Slavonia (Croatia). Equivalent portions of the foods eaten in the 1960’s were collected locally for the 16 cohorts in 1987 and were chemically analyzed for fatty acids. This analysis provided more detailed information about the different categories of fatty acids that were carried out in the 1960s.

References

More cohort findings with 25 or 50-year follow-up in the 16 cohorts

The original cross-cultural associations from the 1960s were later repeated using 25 and 50-year CHD mortality data for serum cholesterol and saturated fat intake and extended with associations on flavonoids and dietary patterns.

25-year follow-up study findings

50-year follow-up study findings

Are these cross-cultural associations causal?

Ecological or cross-cultural associations are frequently viewed as the lowest level of evidence about causality. However, to demean ecological associations is to fail to recognize the powerful indication they provide about the population burden of disease. They can be useful for prevention when correlations among populations are congruent with sound clinical evidence, with significant correlations at the level of individuals within populations, and with known mechanisms.

Read more about cross-cultural findings

Search study findings on the individual level:

Alcohol (6) All-cause mortality (16) Blood pressure (8) Body mass index (7) Cardiovascular disease (30) Cholesterol (8) Cohort (12) CVD risk factors (31) Depression & Optimism (11) Diabetes (6) Diet (23) Dietary patterns (4) Disease outcomes (13) ECG predictors (2) Fatty acids (5) Flavonoids & lignans (5) Foods (7) Functional outcomes (10) Healthy aging (38) Lifestyle (25) Mental health (11) Nutrients (8) Physical activity (9) Self-rated health (2) Smoking (11)