Originally Posted by CityGirl8

I think that study author needs some more education on what a "controlled" trial means in terms of diet studies. Did they randomized the women into two groups and then provide them with all the food they ate for 20 years? No. Did they even provide them with specific diets to follow with specifics foods? No.

They just told one group to lower their fat intake and then it's not clear. Maybe they collected some data via food recall questionnaires at some unstated frequency. They told the other group to just keep on doing whatever. Were data collected on what they were eating at the start? We're they required to keep eating exactly that way for the next 20 years? Or is it possible many in the "no change" group did gradually change their diets to follow popular low-fat eating styles, like the food pyramid.

Is it possible that by cutting fat overall that the "low fat" group also managed to reduce their intake of seed oils significantly and that's really the differential, not saturated fat?

I hate these studies. They really don't provide any solid information and seem like such a waste of money.