Saturated fat from dairy sources is associated with lower cardiometabolic risk in the Framingham Offspring Study

Current dietary guidance recommends limiting intakes of saturated fats, but most fails to consider that saturated fats from different food sources may have different health effects.

We aimed to evaluate the associations of saturated fats from dairy and nondairy sources with measures of body fat, inflammatory biomarkers, lipid concentrations, and lipid particle sizes and concentrations.

The Framingham Offspring Study is a prospective cohort study. Participants (n = 2391) ≥30 y of age who had dietary records and data on the outcomes of interest were included.

Among females, those in the highest quintile (compared with the lowest) of dairy-derived saturated fat had lower multivariable-adjusted levels of body fat [BMI (in kg/m2): 26.2 compared with 27.8, P < 0.01; and percentage fat mass: 36.7% compared with 38.0%, P = 0.09) and larger LDL particle sizes. Nondairy saturated fat in females was inversely associated with the triglyceride (TG):HDL ratio (P = 0.03). Among males, intakes of dairy-derived saturated fats were inversely associated with C-reactive protein (P < 0.01), fibrinogen (P < 0.01), TGs (P < 0.01), and the TG:HDL ratio (P < 0.01). HDL cholesterol was 2.8 mg/dL (P = 0.04) higher among males in the highest (compared with the lowest) quintile of saturated fat from dairy sources. Males with the highest intakes of dairy-derived saturated fats had larger HDL and LDL particle sizes (P < 0.01 for both), a higher HDL particle concentration (P < 0.01), and a lower VLDL particle concentration (P < 0.01). There were no statistically significant adverse effects of saturated fats from nondairy sources on any of these outcomes in either males or females.

Males with higher intakes of dairy-derived saturated fats had a less atherogenic profile than males with lower intakes of these fats. These effects were weaker in females. Nondairy saturated fats were not associated with these cardiometabolic outcomes.