- President’s Council on Physical Fitness and Sports
Mission and major functions of the council. -
Are fats so bad?
Source: Harvard University
For years, fat was a dirty word in the dietary world. After World War II, large studies established links between saturated fat and heart disease. Most dietary experts advised people to reduce their fat intake, not only because of the heart connection but also because fat has more calories per gram than protein or carbohydrate and was assumed to contribute more to weight gain.
Many people did so, but they often replaced the lost calories with large amounts of carbohydrates— especially refined carbohydrates. They also stopped eating healthy fats, like olive and canola oils. Instead of helping us slim down, the decline in fat consumption was accompanied by higher rates of overweight and obesity.
What went awry?