Global fat consumption will account for 31 percent of calorie intake by 2030, up from 26 percent currently, but that may not be a negative health forecast, according to a report issued Sept. 17 by the Credit Suisse Research Institute.
The report titled “Fat: The New Health Paradigm” said consumer buying patterns and medical research both are moving gradually in the direction of favoring food products with more natural, unprocessed fats and food products rich in saturated fats and monounsaturated fats (organic dairy, grass-fed meats, natural oils, and nuts). The report reviewed more than 400 medical research papers and books. It features results of two proprietary surveys of doctors, nutritionists and consumers.
The report did not have negative views of saturated fat and cholesterol.
The report forecast saturated fat should account for 13 percent of calorie intake by 2030, up from 9 percent now. The American Heart Association advises people that less than 7 percent of their daily calories should come from saturated fat, but the Credit Suisse report disagreed with that recommendation.
“Based on medical and our own research, we can conclude that the intake of saturated fat (butter, palm and coconut oil, and lard) poses no risk to our health and particularly to the heart,” the report said.
Butter consumption is growing globally at a rate of 2 percent to 4 percent annually, according to the report, and red meat consumption should grow 23 percent over the next 15 years.
The report forecast global egg consumption should grow at a rate of 4 percent a year as cholesterol warnings lessen in importance. The report found no connection between the cholesterol we eat and the level of cholesterol in our blood. The 2015 Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee has said it will not recommend people limit cholesterol intake to no more than 300 mg per day, a recommendation found in previous Dietary Guidelines for Americans. The 2015 D.G.A.C. said available evidence shows no appreciable relationship between consumption of dietary cholesterol and serum cholesterol.