A recent study conducted by researchers from Mass General Brigham, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, and the Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard suggests that individuals who opt for plant-based oils over butter may experience positive health outcomes and potentially lower their risk of premature death. The study, published in JAMA Internal Medicine and presented at the American Heart Association EPI/Lifestyle Scientific Sessions, analyzed diet and health data from over 200,000 participants tracked for more than three decades.
The findings revealed that a higher consumption of plant-based oils, particularly soybean, canola, and olive oil, was linked to reduced total, cancer, and cardiovascular disease mortality. In contrast, butter intake was associated with an increased risk of total and cancer mortality. Lead author Yu Zhang, MBBS, emphasized the significant impact of this dietary swap, noting a 17% lower risk of death when substituting butter with plant-based oils in daily meals.
One key distinction between butter and plant-based oils lies in their fatty acid compositions. Butter is rich in saturated fatty acids, while plant-based oils predominantly contain unsaturated fatty acids. This study addresses a gap in existing research by focusing on the primary food sources of dietary fatty acids, such as butter and oils, in a large population over an extended period.
The study drew insights from dietary data collected from participants in the Nurses’ Health Study (NHS), Nurses’ Health Study II (NHSII), and Health Professionals Follow-up Study (HPFS). Participants reported their consumption frequency of specific foods every four years, enabling researchers to estimate butter and plant oil intake. The analysis revealed that individuals with higher butter consumption faced a 15% elevated risk of mortality, while those with increased plant-based oil intake experienced a 16% lower mortality risk.
Corresponding author Daniel Wang, MD, ScD, highlighted the potential public health implications of this research, underscoring the substantial health benefits associated with a simple dietary shift from butter to soybean or olive oil. A substitution analysis indicated that replacing 10 grams of butter per day with an equivalent calorie amount of plant-based oils could lead to a 17% reduction in cancer deaths and overall mortality.
While the study’s participant pool mainly comprises health professionals, limiting its generalizability to the broader U.S. population, the researchers plan to delve into the biological mechanisms underlying the observed health impact of this dietary change. Wang emphasized the importance of modest adjustments, suggesting that even a slight reduction in butter consumption in favor of plant-based oils could yield significant long-term health advantages.
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Article: Mass General Brigham
