Health professionals have hit out at a new report suggesting that eating more fat could help tackle the UK's obesity crisis.
"Eating fat does not make you fat," says a joint report by the National Obesity Forum (NOF) and the Public Health Collaboration.
Accusing health bodies of colluding with the food industry, they say the vilification of fat and the promotion of low-fat food has had "disastrous" health consequences.
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"For years we have been told that we should cut down on the amount of fat we eat," says Sky News. "Now it seems the story is changing."
But the charity's advice has not been well received by some, with Public Health England's chief nutritionist, Dr Alison Tedstone, dismissing the report as irresponsible and potentially deadly.
So is fat really your friend? Here's what the experts have to say:
Current NHS advice
Official guidelines, which have been in place since the 1980s, advise cutting down on all types of fats.
"Too much fat in your diet, especially saturated fats, can raise your cholesterol, which increases the risk of heart disease," says the NHS.
The average man should aim to have no more than 30g of saturated fat a day, while women should aim for no more than 20g per day.
However, the NHS does point out that not all fat is "bad" and that a small amount of unsaturated fat, found in foods such as avocado, olive oil and some nuts, are an important part of a balanced diet.
What does the new report say?
The authors say that low-fat guidelines have been based on "flawed science" and have resulted in people eating more refined carbohydrates and sugar instead. They are now demanding an urgent overhaul of official dietary advice in an attempt to fight soaring levels of obesity and type-2 diabetes.
"The change in dietary advice to promote low fat foods is perhaps the biggest mistake in modern medical history," says senior advisor Dr Aseem Malhotra.
"Eat fat to get slim," he adds. "Don't fear fat; fat is your friend."
Instead of relying on low-fat options to lose weight, the report calls for more "whole foods" to be eaten, including meat, fish and dairy, as well as high-fat healthy foods such as avocados.
It also argues:
- Saturated fat does not cause heart disease
- People should avoid starchy and refined carbohydrates, sugar and snacking
- People shouldn't count calories
- People should avoid foods labelled low-fat and low-cholesterol
- People "can't outrun" a bad diet
What has the reaction been?
The report has provoked a "broad backlash" among the scientific community, says the Daily Telegraph. As well as its message, the publication has also been criticized for not going through scientific peer review.
"In the face of all the evidence, calling for people to eat more fat, cut out carbs and ignore calories is irresponsible," said Dr Tedstone.
She added that promoting a high-fat diet, especially saturated fat, could have deadly consequences. "Too much saturated fat in the diet increases the risk of raised cholesterol, a route to heart disease and possible death."
The government's obesity adviser, Professor Susan Jebb, told the BBC that the "current dietary advice is based on the best evidence we have".
