Fat

Injury	Disease	Nutrition	Poison

Symptoms	Surgery	Test	Special Topic

Healthy diet

Omega-3 fatty acids

Calories and fat per serving

Saturated fats

Trans-fatty acids

Overview

Food Sources

Recommendations

Side Effects

Fat

Alternative Names:

Saturated fat; Diet - fat; Polyunsaturated fat; Monounsaturated fat; Lipids

Side Effects:

Eating too much saturated fat is one of the major risk factors for heart disease. A diet high in saturated fat causes a soft, waxy substance called cholesterol to build up in the arteries. Too much fat also increases the risk of heart disease because of its high calorie content, which increases the chance of becoming obese (another risk factor for heart disease and some types of cancer).

A large intake of polyunsaturated fat may increase the risk for some types of cancer. Reducing daily fat intake is not a guarantee against developing cancer or heart disease, but it does help reduce the risk factors.

Review Date: 7/19/2004
Reviewed By: Kevin M. Fosnocht, M.D., Clinical Assistant Professor of Medicine, Division of General Internal Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania Health System, Philadelphia, PA. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.

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