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Most of the studies showing benefit of total fat reduction in the diet have come from Dean Ornish's studies
in men with heart disease. Improvement in the risk of recurrent disease was shown with a low-fat vegetarian diet.
The low-fat diet was popular in the 70's and 80's
before the Atkin's craze caused push back! More research has shown that the type of fat consumed is more important than
how much fat is consumed.
Advantages: Dean Ornish, a cardiologist
in Texas, has shown that men with heart disease reduced their risk of recurrent heart attacks when they followed his program.
His diet consisted of fish and vegetarian options, with reduced calories, exercise and meditation. This low fat approach
was key to reducing cardiovascular risk when we had no idea that trans- and saturated fats were so bad for us. Disadvantages: The diet is very strict and many people are unwilling to give up
meat. And now that we know good fats (olive oil and other mono-unsaturated fats, and omega-3's) are so good for you,
it's prudent to not limit their intake.
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