Dietary fat consumption in the management of type 2 diabetes

A cornerstone of dietary advice for cardiovascular health has been to reduce the intake of total fat to less than 35% of total energy intake, and to reduce saturated fat (SFA) intake to under 11% of total energy intake. However, recent research evidence, as well as media coverage, on the type and amount of dietary fat in obesity and the development and management of type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease (CVD) has left some healthcare professionals and the general population uncertain about the optimal dietary intake of fat. Clarification is needed on dietary fat intake in the general population, and also specifically whether the dietary advice for fat intake in people with type 2 diabetes should be any different to the advice for the general population. Public health advice continues to be based on reducing all fat, partial substitution of saturated with unsaturated fat and basing meals on carbohydrate foods, vegetables and fruits as demonstrated by the Eatwell plate. This statement does not address public health advice and is solely concerned with the food and nutrition treatment of those with diabetes.