However, when the evidence linking saturated fat to heart disease was later found to be weak, many people made the mistake of arguing that saturated fat had no

However, when the evidence linking saturated fat to heart disease was later found to be weak, many people made the mistake of arguing that saturated fat had no links to heart disease, Because of the limitations of nutrition science and the incentives of academia, weak evidence is basically equivalent to no evidence. If "X causes Y" is the dominant paradigm, and a review of the studies shows: - 20 studies showing "no statistically significant results" - 10 studies showing "low effect size, but statistically significant" correlations that "X causes Y" - 0 studies show "X reduces Y" Does that mean that "X" weakly causes "Y"? No. Because what probably happened is that any time a study got an "X reduces Y" result the academic said, "This looks wrong, let me play with the control variables a bit" until the result became "no significant association." Or possibly they just through the study in the rubbish. The proper conclusion from the above studies is: "We have not established any link between X and Y. If any link does exist, it is below the threshold of our ability to measure it using our limited tool-set in nutrition science." Or in other words: any study result that cannot be distinguished from p-hacking should not be admissible as evidence. AFAICT, this is the case with saturated fat -- there is no set of studies with a sound, convincing methodology that shows a clear and undeniable causal link with heart disease. If you disagree, I'd like to see what studies you find convincing. the initial exaggeration of the role of LDL cholesterol has led to a small but vocal minority of people who claim that LDL has no connection to heart disease, which doesn't agree with the science What is the best evidence that dietary cholesterol causes heart disease? What is the best evidence that reducing LDL through either reducing saturated fat or cholesterol intake, or through pharmaceutical intervention reduces all cause mortality?