The United Kingdom Scientific Advisory Committee on Nutrition (SACN) says that UK consumers must continue to ensure that saturated fats represent “no more than 10%” of daily calories after reviewing revision advice issued since 1994.
The SACN said on August 1 that it had revised the advice of the Committee on Medical Aspects of the Food and Nutritional Policy (COMA) of the United Kingdom on the consumption of saturated fats.
I do not recommend any changes to this advice, saying that “the reference value of the diet for saturated fats remains unchanged: the average contribution [of the population] of saturated fatty acid to [total] dietary energy is reduced to no more than approximately 10%”.
Professor Paul Haggarty, president of the SACN Saturated Health and Fat Work Group, says: “Looking at the evidence, our report confirms that reducing saturated fat reduces total cholesterol in blood and reduces the risk of heart disease.
“Our advice is that saturated fats are reduced to no more than 10% of dietary energy”.
The data from the survey since the 1980s showed that the main sources of saturated fats have changed little in the last 30 years, according to the SACN.
The intake of saturated fats had decreased during this time, but remained above the recommendations in relation to the 12% of dietary energy.
Data from the National Diet and Nutrition Survey indicate that the average intake of saturated fats remains above the UK government recommendations.
In 2014-2015 and 2015-2016, the average intake of saturated fats as a percentage of total dietary energy was from 12.4% to 13% in children (from 4 to 18 years old), from 11.9% in those from 19 to 64 years old , of 12.5% (65-74 years) and 14.3% (75 years and more), I say to the committee.
According to the SACN, average saturated fat intake among UK adults aged 19 to 64 had decreased since the mid-1980s, when it was around 16% of total calorie intake.
The committee said that its recommendations, which apply to adults and children aged five and older, were consistent with international guidelines, including those formulated in the EE. UU. Y Australia, and for the World Health Organization and the European Food Standards Agency.
Professor Louis Levy, head of nutritional sciences at Public Health England, says: “The SACN review supports and strengthens current advice. We recommend eating foods with a high content of saturated fats less frequently and in smaller quantities and switching to non-saturated fats to help achieve a healthy and balanced diet.”
Añadió: “We all must act, but manufacturers, suppliers and food providers have a particular responsibility in helping people to do this”.
The SACN says that data collected between 2008 and 2016 indicates that “the average intake of saturated fats remains above the recommendations of the government of the United Kingdom”.
Cereals and cereal-based products (mainly chicken, cakes, pastries, pastries, budines and pizzas), milk and dairy products (mainly queso and milk) and meat and meat products were the main contributors to the intake of saturated fats in all age groups.
The investigation indicated that milk and dairy products represented 21% of saturated fat intake.
Source: OFI Magazine
