Browse the evidence

Overfeeding with saturated fat increases intrahepatic triglycerides (IHTG) and insulin resistance significantly more than overfeeding with unsaturated fat or simple sugars, primarily by stimulating adipose tissue lipolysis and increasing plasma ceramides.

If you are overweight and concerned about liver health, simply reducing calories is important, but the type of fat you eat matters significantly. Replacing saturated fats (found in butter, cheese, fatty meats) with unsaturated fats (found in olive oil, nuts, avocados) may help reduce liver fat accumulation and improve insulin sensitivity, even if total calorie intake remains the same. While simple sugars also increase liver fat, saturated fat appears to be particularly harmful by promoting fat release from body fat stores and increasing inflammatory markers like ceramides.

Overfeeding saturated fatty acids (SFAs) promotes hepatic and visceral fat storage, whereas overfeeding polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) promotes lean tissue gain in healthy, normal-weight individuals.

If you are in a caloric surplus, the type of fat you consume matters for body composition. Replacing saturated fats (like palm oil) with polyunsaturated fats (like sunflower oil) may help direct excess calories toward lean tissue rather than liver and visceral fat, provided you are healthy and normal-weight. This does not apply to obese or insulin-resistant individuals based on this study.

Adopting a vegetarian or vegan diet is associated with a moderate reduction in mortality from ischemic heart disease (IHD) compared to non-vegetarian diets, primarily driven by lower plasma cholesterol levels and lower body mass index (BMI).

If you reduce or eliminate meat from your diet, you may lower your risk of dying from heart disease. This benefit comes largely from the resulting drop in cholesterol and body weight, not just the absence of meat itself. Ensure your diet includes fiber-rich plants to support these changes.

Co-ingesting protein with carbohydrates enhances muscle glycogen storage rates, but only when carbohydrate intake is suboptimal (below the storage threshold) or when feeding intervals are greater than 1 hour.

If you can't eat enough carbohydrates after training (less than 1.2 g/kg/h) or if you can't eat for more than an hour, add protein to your recovery meal. This combination speeds up glycogen storage. However, if you are eating high amounts of carbohydrates frequently, adding protein provides no additional benefit for glycogen storage.

Reduction or modification of dietary fat intake reduces combined cardiovascular events by 16% and cardiovascular mortality by 9%, but has no significant effect on total mortality.

To lower your risk of heart attacks and strokes, consider reducing your total fat and saturated fat intake, or replacing saturated fats with unsaturated fats. This change should be sustained for at least two years to see the full benefit, as short-term changes may not show significant results. While this won't necessarily extend your overall lifespan, it does reduce the risk of cardiovascular events.

High intake of fish and n-3 fatty acids is associated with a decreased risk of proximal colon cancer, liver cancer, and myocardial infarction.

Eating fish regularly, as is common in Japanese diets, is associated with a lower risk of heart attacks and certain cancers (colon, liver). This dietary pattern appears safe and beneficial.

High intake of red meat and saturated fat is associated with an increased risk of colon cancer, prostate cancer, and myocardial infarction.

Limiting red meat and saturated fat intake is associated with lower risks of colon, prostate, and heart disease. This aligns with standard cardiovascular and cancer prevention guidelines.

High salt and salted food intake is associated with an increased risk of stomach cancer and cardiovascular disease.

Reducing salt and salted food intake (pickles, salted fish) is associated with lower risks of stomach cancer and cardiovascular disease. This supports standard sodium reduction guidelines.

Modifying dietary fat by replacing saturated fats with unsaturated fats reduces the risk of combined cardiovascular events by approximately 14% in adults, whereas simply reducing total fat intake without modification does not significantly reduce cardiovascular risk.

To lower your risk of heart disease, focus on the quality of your fats rather than just the quantity. Replace saturated fats (found in animal products) with unsaturated fats (found in plant oils and spreads). Simply cutting down on total fat without changing the types of fats you eat does not appear to reduce cardiovascular risk. Aim to maintain this modified diet for at least two years for the best results.

Fish oil (n-3 LCPUFA) supplementation lowers serum triglyceride (TAG) concentrations compared to monounsaturated fat (MUFA) sources.

If you have high triglycerides, consider adding fish oil supplements (0.7-6 g/day of n-3 LCPUFA). This is likely to lower your triglyceride levels more effectively than replacing fats with olive oil (MUFA) alone.

Red meat consumption is causally associated with an increased risk of colon and prostate cancer, whereas total dietary fat intake is not significantly associated with colon cancer risk.

To reduce cancer risk, prioritize reducing red meat consumption over simply lowering total fat intake. Evidence suggests red meat contains components linked to colon and prostate cancer risk that are distinct from fat content.

Higher intake of processed meat, unprocessed red meat, or poultry is significantly associated with an increased risk of incident cardiovascular disease (CVD), whereas fish intake is not significantly associated with CVD risk.

If you are concerned about heart disease, be mindful of processed meats and unprocessed red meats, as higher intake is linked to a small increase in risk. However, you do not need to eliminate poultry or fish, as this study found no significant link between their consumption and cardiovascular disease. Focus on the type and quantity of meat rather than avoiding all meat.

Higher intake of processed meat or unprocessed red meat is significantly associated with an increased risk of all-cause mortality, whereas poultry and fish intake are not significantly associated with all-cause mortality.

To support longevity, limit processed meats and unprocessed red meats, as higher intake is linked to a small increase in mortality risk. You do not need to avoid poultry or fish, as this study found no significant link between their consumption and all-cause mortality. Prioritize plant-based proteins and fish/poultry over red and processed meats.

Intake of plant protein is associated with a lower risk of cardiovascular disease mortality, whereas animal protein intake was not significantly associated with cardiovascular or cancer mortality.

If your goal is cardiovascular health and longevity, prioritize plant-based protein sources (beans, lentils, nuts, seeds) over animal proteins. This meta-analysis found that higher plant protein intake was linked to a lower risk of dying from heart disease, while animal protein intake showed no such significant benefit for cardiovascular mortality.

Adherence to an animal-based low-carbohydrate diet is associated with significantly higher all-cause, cardiovascular, and cancer mortality compared to a vegetable-based low-carbohydrate diet.

If you follow a low-carbohydrate diet, ensure your fat and protein come primarily from plant sources (vegetables, nuts, seeds, legumes) rather than animal products (meat, dairy). Animal-based low-carbohydrate diets are associated with higher mortality, while vegetable-based ones are associated with lower mortality.

Circadian misalignment alters macronutrient utilization, increasing fat utilization and decreasing carbohydrate and protein utilization on subsequent nightshift days, leading to negative fat balance and positive carbohydrate balance.

When working night shifts, your body shifts to using more fat for energy and less carbs and protein. This change in macronutrient utilization, combined with reduced total energy expenditure, can contribute to weight gain. Be mindful of your food choices and timing to support your metabolic health.

Food insufficiency is associated with significantly lower mean intakes of energy, calcium, vitamin E, magnesium, and zinc in adult women and the elderly, while preschoolers from food-insufficient households maintain nutrient intakes comparable to food-sufficient peers.

If you are an adult woman or older adult living in a household where food is sometimes scarce, your own nutrient intake is likely compromised, even if your children seem well-fed. Focus on identifying which specific nutrients (like calcium, iron, or energy) are falling short in your diet and seek targeted supplementation or nutrient-dense food sources if possible, as standard food assistance may not fully cover these gaps.

Fat Mass Index (FMI), calculated as fat mass divided by height squared, provides a more specific classification of obesity than Body Mass Index (BMI) because it isolates fat mass from lean tissue, thereby reducing misclassification of muscular individuals.

If you are muscular, your BMI might label you as obese even if you have low body fat. To get a true picture of your obesity risk, you need a body composition test (like DXA) to calculate your Fat Mass Index (FMI). This metric looks only at your fat mass relative to your height, ignoring your muscle, giving a more accurate assessment of health risk than weight alone.

Individuals with food addiction consume a significantly higher percentage of calories from fat and protein compared to non-addicted individuals.

People with food addiction tend to derive a higher percentage of their calories from fat and protein. This dietary pattern may contribute to the compulsive eating behavior and should be considered when designing dietary interventions for this subgroup.

Higher consumption of dietary cholesterol (specifically >300 mg/day) is significantly associated with a higher risk of incident cardiovascular disease and all-cause mortality in a dose-response manner among US adults.

If you are concerned about heart disease, limiting dietary cholesterol to under 300 mg per day and moderating egg intake (less than half an egg per day) is associated with a lower risk of cardiovascular events and death. This is particularly important if you have existing risk factors like high blood pressure or diabetes.

Sustained hyperactivation of mTORC1 in skeletal muscle eventually causes atrophy and myopathy by inhibiting autophagy, whereas acute activation promotes hypertrophy.

While building muscle requires turning on growth signals, keeping them on constantly can damage muscle over time. Regular periods of rest and low signaling (like fasting or rest days) allow your muscles to recycle damaged parts, preventing long-term deterioration.

Abdominal and thoracic fat distribution (android pattern) negatively influences lung volume and capacity more significantly than overall BMI alone.

Focus on losing abdominal fat, as it directly restricts your diaphragm and reduces lung capacity. Using tools that measure body composition or waist circumference can be more informative than BMI alone for understanding your respiratory health. Targeting visceral fat through diet and exercise will likely yield the best improvements in your breathing mechanics.

High consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages (specifically fructose-containing drinks) is positively associated with an increased risk of NAFLD and higher fibrosis stages, independent of total caloric intake and BMI.

Minimize consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages, including sodas and fruit juices. These are major sources of fructose, which promotes liver fat accumulation and fibrosis. Focus on water or unsweetened beverages.

Dietary factors, specifically simple sugars (fructose) and dietary fat, contribute to the development of insulin resistance and obesity.

Reduce intake of simple sugars, especially fructose, and manage overall caloric intake to prevent obesity and insulin resistance. Focus on avoiding hypercaloric diets that lead to excess glucose and triglyceride levels.