Warren S Browner

Trimming dietary fat to no more than 30% of calories consumed would add only months to the lives of average Americans, researchers say in a report published today in the Journal of the American Medical Assn. Thirty-seven percent of the average American's calorie intake is fat, whereas a maximum of 30% is recommended by dietary experts. Consuming excess fat raises the likelihood of developing coronary heart disease and cancers of the breast, colon and prostate.

Trimming dietary fat to no more than 30% of calories consumed would add only months to the lives of average Americans, researchers say in a report published today in the Journal of the American Medical Assn. Thirty-seven percent of the average American's calorie intake is fat, whereas a maximum of 30% is recommended by dietary experts. Consuming excess fat raises the likelihood of developing coronary heart disease and cancers of the breast, colon and prostate.

Two studies being published today provide encouragement that some of the damaging effects of cholesterol on the heart may be reversible through diet and drugs. Confirming the results of several previous studies of cholesterol in men, UC San Francisco researchers have shown that drug treatment and diet can begin to clear fatty deposits from clogged heart arteries in both sexes.

One week medical researchers report beta carotene prevents cancer. Then they say it may cause cancer. Or we hear fiber is good, so we dutifully load up on oatmeal and green vegetables. Then we're told that maybe it's not so good. The list goes on and on--it's enough to give you mental whiplash. So how can consumers, especially those with chronic or serious ailments, sort through this contradictory data in order to make informed decisions about their health care?