The relationship of saturated fats and coronary heart disease: fa(c)t or fiction? A commentary

The risk of coronary heart disease (CHD) associated with saturated fatty acids (SFA) varies from no association to a significantly important risk.1–52 CHD is the number one cause of death in the USA, accounts for approximately 17% of deaths, and is associated with over 1 million myocardial infarctions (MIs) each year.1,22 Nutrition and modification of diet make up one of the primary lifestyle approaches to preventing CHD with a major focus on the reduction of dietary SFA intake.2,2