In the article “After all those warnings about saturated fat being unhealthy for hearts Stop feeling guilty! That juicy steak is good for you,” Bee (2013) explains that scientific evidence is beginning to refute previous beliefs about saturated fat being bad for health by increasing risk of heart attacks. However, a cohort study by Yavchitz et al. (2012) found that the quality of media reports on scientific studies is often questionable, so it is important to be cautious when accepting statements presented by mainstream media.
Upon conducting the assessment of medical news reported in the media, the researchers found inadequate accuracy in reports because they failed to deliver essential information, such as caveats or translating results from animal models, for judging the meaning and relevance of the study results (Yavchitz et al., 2012). The main issue is that media reports are not designed as condensed versions of papers, but their aim is only to summarize the key findings and contextualize them for journalists to increase public interest in the article (Yavchitz et al., 2012). With that approach, some factors are left out, such as the context and sample of the study. In that case, readers can misinterpret information by generalizing it to the population that was not studied in the trial, which results in false conclusions that can impact the readers’ health significantly.
For example, Bee (2013) reports that eating lean beef daily improved cholesterol levels in research participants. Furthermore, it was mentioned that stearic acid was identified as the cause of those positive changes (Bee, 2013). Because the researcher’s information was included in the media articles, a Google search for the keyword “Michael Roussell American Journal of Clinical Nutrition” returned a study aimed at investigating the effects of cholesterol-lowering diets, which included different amounts of lean beef, on LDL cholesterol (Roussell et al., 2011). While the summarized research findings are correct, several critical pieces of information were left out of the report.
First, all of the participants followed the Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) diet and Beef in Optimal Lean Diet (BOLD) (Roussell et al., 2011). Both diets are cholesterol-lowering diets, so people who are not already following a healthy diet cannot expect the same results by simply including beef in their diets.
Second, the study monitored the intake of beef to make sure participants’ saturated fatty acid intake no higher than 6 percent of total calorie intake, and the researchers explicitly state that the research was conducted “in the context of a heart-healthy diet” (Roussell et al., 2011, p. 13). That means that in spite of the positive effects of beef intake, the amount of saturated fatty acids in the overall diet was controlled, which is an important aspect that needs to be considered when implementing the advice provided in the media article.
Third, the study participants were all healthy men and women with elevated cholesterol levels (Roussell et al., 2011, p. 10). By healthy, the researchers stated they have never been diagnosed with cardiovascular disorders, diabetes, autoimmune disease, kidney disorders, liver disorders, or suffered a stroke (Roussell et al., 2011, p. 10). The general reporting format, which simply concluded that saturated fatty acids in beef are healthy, did not report those inclusion criteria, so readers may be misled into believing that the finding applies to everybody.
The article “After all those warnings about saturated fat being unhealthy for hearts Stop feeling guilty! That juicy steak is good for you” was published in Daily Mail Online on 5th March 2013, and it was written by Peta Bee. However, no further information was given about the author or the author’s credentials to demonstrate the author’s capability for writing the article. There was also no mention of a health editor reviewing the article.
The central claim of the article was that repeated studies had shown that stearic acid did not have adverse health effects related to the cardiovascular system. In fact, the claim supports that foods with stearic acid, such as red meat and chocolate, can be beneficial for cholesterol levels and cardiovascular health. The claim is based on the study by Roussell et al. (2011), but the report also features several supportive comments from nutrition experts, including Glenys Jones, Dr Carrie Ruxton, and Dr Emma Williams.
Although the study by Roussell et al. (2011) concluded that higher lean beef intake was associated with lowering LDL cholesterol levels, it is also possible to notice that several factors, such as saturated fatty intake control and type of diets followed, were excluded from the media report, leaving the reader with only a partial conclusion. Nevertheless, research findings are universal in terms of identifying stearic acid as a safe saturated fatty acid that is not correlated with elevating cholesterol levels (Williams, 2000).
According to Li et al. (2005), lean red meat does not contribute to cardiovascular risk factors, and because it is rich in omega-3, protein, B-12, niacin, iron, and zinc, it has several health benefits. However, the study also mentions that no association with lean red meat and cardiovascular risk factors was found only when it was consumed in diets that were already low on saturated fats (Li et al., 2005).
Because stearic acid is also found in chocolate, various studies found that participants who followed chocolate-enriched diets showed a neutral response in cholesterol levels; participants who did not eat chocolate experienced a cholesterolemic response with the same amount of saturated fatty acids in their diet (Steinberg, Bearden, & Keen, 2003). Because stearic acid was correlated with neutral cholesterolemic responses, it is recommended that cholesterol-lowering diets should focus on controlling other fatty acids that were associated with elevated cholesterol levels rather than setting universal guidelines for all fatty acids.
While observing the effects of beef fat, Denke and Grundy (1991) reported that total and LDL cholesterol values were increased when subjects were consuming beef fat. According to the authors, the stearic acid is not correlated with elevated cholesterol levels, but the palmitic acid did elevate cholesterol levels while stearic acid, even though it was high in content, failed to neutralize that effect (Denke & Grundy, 1991). However, Denke and Grundy (1991) mention that lean beef, when compared to beef fat, does not initiate strong cholesterolemic responses.
However, the implications of stearic acid on health are not completely understood. While it was associated with lower cholesterol levels in some research papers, others report that it has a neutral effect on cholesterol (Daley et al., 2010). Therefore, it is possible to assume that stearic acid may not be the real cause of low cholesterol levels, but it can also be considered a safe saturated fatty acid (Daley et al., 2010).
While some papers confirm that red meat can be hazardous to health, all studies on lean red meat prove that lean beef is beneficial to health. Studies by Vang et al. (2008 cited in Sharma, Sheehy & Kolonel, 2013), Halkjaer et al. (2009 cited in Sharma, Sheehy & Kolonel, 2013), and Erber et al. (2010 cited in Sharma, Sheehy & Kolonel, 2013) found that red meat is correlated to diabetes, cardiovascular disorders, and cancer.
However, it is important to mention that Tasevska et al. (2009 cited in Sharma, Sheehy & Kolonel, 2013) and Wang and Beydoun (2009 cited in Sharma, Sheehy & Kolonel, 2013) suggest carcinogens formed by cooking methods are more likely the causes for disorders than the saturated fat content. Furthermore, because lean beef is low on saturated acid content and contains stearic acid, it is recommended as a safe alternative, but only in diet plans that include other food groups with low saturated fat content (Li et al., 2005).
Finally, because the study by Roussell et al. (2012) focused on observing the healthy population, it is important to consider the consequences of introducing lean beef in daily diet plans for people with health disorders. In a study by Reyna et al. (2012) the participants suffered from hypertension and were assigned a diet that partially replaced their carbohydrates with lean beef proteins. Even though the subjects ate lean beef once or twice per day, they all measured a significant decrease in blood pressure without affecting biochemical markers that would indicate a risk of cardiovascular conditions (Reyna et al., 2012).
However, that finding needs to be discussed carefully. Reyna et al. (2012) proved that lean red meat is not associated with high blood pressure or any other cardiovascular disease risks, but they also consider the possibility that the reduction of carbohydrate intake may be the cause of lower blood pressure because previous findings suggest carbohydrate intake is associated with high arterial pressure. Even thought the lack of carbohydrates may have contributed to the study results, the research did support the hypothesis that lean red meat is not hazardous to cardiovascular health and can be used as a carbohydrate substitute in individuals with high blood pressure.
Overall, the media report is not wrong when explaining the health benefits of beef (Bee, 2013). However, it does attribute too much benefit to stearic acid alone. By claiming that it lowers cholesterol levels, it excludes a variety of literature that confirms it is neutral in terms of cholesterolemic responses. Therefore, without placing stearic acid consumption in a certain context, such as medical history or overall diet plan followed, it is not possible to implement that statement safely.
The concluding statement of the article mentioned that saturated fatty acids were not as unhealthy as people believed they were, but it also warns that saturated fatty acids need to be used sparingly. Apart from stating that the UK Government recommends an upper daily limit of 20-30 grams of saturated fat, the article fails to provide specific advice on controlling fatty acid intake. Most importantly, it does not explain how eating foods with stearic acids is beneficial only when combined with a healthy diet with low saturated fat intake.
References
Bee, P., 2013. After all those warnings about saturated fat being unhealthy for hearts Stop feeling guilty! That juicy steak is good for you. Daily Mail Online, [online] 5 March. Available at: < http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-2288088/Steak-After-warnings- saturated-fat-unhealthy-hearts--Stop-feeling-guilty-That-juicy-steak-good-you.html> [Accessed 10 June 2013].
Daley, C. A. et al., 2010. A review of fatty acid profiles and antioxidant content in grass-fed and grain-fed beef. Nutrition Journal, 9(1), p. 10 [online]. Available at:
< http://www.nutritionj.com/content/9/1/10> [Accessed 11 June 2013].
Denke, M. A., & Grundy, S. M., 1991. Effects of fats high in stearic acid on lipid and lipoprotein concentrations in men. The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 54(6), pp. 1036-1040.
Li, D. et al., 2005. Lean meat and heart health. Asia Pacific Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 14(2), pp. 113-119.
Reyna, N. et al., 2012. Ingestion of lean beef meats in blood pressure and biochemical parameters in hypertensives patients. Latinoamericana de Hipertensión, 4(1), pp. 26-31.
Roussell, M. A. et al., 2012. Beef in an Optimal Lean Diet study: effects on lipids, lipoproteins, and apolipoproteins. The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 95(1), pp. 9-16. Available at: < http://ajcn.nutrition.org/content/early/2011/12/13/ ajcn.111.016261.full.pdf+html> [Accessed 11 June 2013].
Sharma S., Sheehy T. & Kolonel L.N, 2013. Contribution of meat to vitamin B12, iron and zinc intakes in five ethnic groups in the USA: implications for developing food-based dietary guidelines. Journal of Human Nutrition and Dietetics, 26, pp. 156–168.
Steinberg, F. M., Bearden, M. M., & Keen, C. L., 2003. Cocoa and chocolate flavonoids: implications for cardiovascular health.(Review). Journal of the American Dietetic Association, 103, pp. 215-223.
Williams, C. M., 2000. Dietary fatty acids and human health. Annales de Zootechnie, 49(3), pp. 165-180.
Yavchitz, A. et al., 2012. Misrepresentation of randomized controlled trials in press releases and news coverage: a cohort study. PLoS Medicine, 9(9), p. e1001308, [online]. Available at: < http://www.plosmedicine.org/article/ info%3Adoi%2F10.1371%2Fjournal.pmed.1001308> [Accessed 11 June 2013].
