Should I follow a low-fat diet?

Although certain fats can be harmful to health and should be avoided, other fats are essential for a nutritious diet and should be included in the diet. Because of all the hype surrounding low-fat foods, and because many weight loss diets are based on a low-fat eating plan, it is easy to become confused about fats and their role in a healthy diet and believe that all fats should be avoided.

It is important to consider that low-fat doesn’t necessarily mean that a food is healthier or will help with weight loss. Low-fat foods can be just as energy dense and higher in sugar, than their full fat counterpart. These reasons can help to explain why many Australians continue to gain weight despite their best intentions to eat what they believe to be better for them.

Dietary fats are classified by their structure and the way they act inside the body. Saturated fats (found mostly in animal products) increase blood cholesterol, which is a risk factor in coronary heart disease. Mono-unsaturated and polyunsaturated fats tend to lower blood cholesterol.