Butter Consumption Linked to Increased Mortality, Study Finds

A large-scale study analyzing data from over 221,000 adults has revealed a potential link between butter consumption and increased mortality risk. Conversely, the research suggests that incorporating plant-based oils into the diet may offer protective benefits.

Study Details and Findings

Researchers tracked participants for a period of 30 to 50 years, recording 50,932 deaths during the study duration, including 12,241 from cancer and 11,240 from heart disease. The analysis indicated that individuals with the highest butter intake exhibited a 15% greater risk of death from any cause compared to those with the lowest consumption. Mirror

In contrast, those with the highest intake of plant-based oils – such as corn, olive, and rapeseed – demonstrated a 16% reduced risk of death relative to those with the lowest intake. Each 10g per day increase in plant-based oil consumption was associated with an 11% lower risk of cancer death and a 6% lower risk of heart disease death.

Butter vs. Plant-Based Oils

The study, published in the journal JAMA Internal Medicine, found that replacing 10g of daily butter consumption with an equivalent amount of plant-based oils was linked to an estimated 17% reduction in death from any cause and a 17% reduction in cancer death. The authors concluded that “higher intake of butter was associated with increased mortality, whilst higher plant-based oils intake was associated with lower mortality.”

Data Sources

The research drew upon data from three long-term studies: the US Nurses’ Health Study, the Nurses’ Health Study II, and the Health Professionals Follow-up Study. The research team included experts from Harvard Medical School in the US.

Expert Commentary

Professor emeritus of nutrition and dietetics at King’s College London, Tom Sanders, commented on the study’s significance. He stated, “This is an important study that shows that people who chose to eat butter don’t live as long as those who choose to eat vegetable oils.” Mirror

Sanders explained that butter is high in saturated fat, contains some trans fatty acids, and is low in polyunsaturated fats. Conversely, unhydrogenated soybean, canola, and olive oils are low in saturated fats but high in unsaturated fats. He emphasized, “The take-home message is that it is healthier to choose unsaturated vegetable oils rather than butter.”

Social Media and Misinformation

Sanders also addressed the prevalence of negative publicity surrounding vegetable oils on social media, noting that such claims are often “based on unfounded claims of potential harmful effects, rather than deaths as described in the present study.”