Editing Fat (section)

====Cardiovascular disease====
{{Main|Saturated fat and cardiovascular disease}}

The effect of saturated fat on cardiovascular disease has been extensively studied.<ref name="hoop2020e" /> The general consensus is that there is evidence of moderate-quality of a strong, consistent, and graded relationship between saturated fat intake, [[blood cholesterol]] levels, and the incidence of cardiovascular disease.<ref name="sacks2017" /><ref name="hoop2020e" /> The relationships are accepted as causal,<ref name="grah2007" /><ref name="laba2011" /> including by many government and medical organizations.<ref name="who2003s" /><ref name="kris2007f" /><ref name="bda0000" /><ref name="sacks2017" /><ref name="wohf2017" /><ref name="nhsuk0000" /><ref name="FDA2009h" /><ref name="efsa2010" />

A 2017 review by the AHA estimated that replacement of saturated fat with polyunsaturated fat in the American diet could reduce the risk of cardiovascular diseases by 30%.<ref name="sacks2017" />

The consumption of saturated fat is generally considered a risk factor for [[dyslipidemia]]—abnormal blood lipid levels, including high total cholesterol, high levels of triglycerides, high levels of [[low-density lipoprotein]] (LDL, "bad" cholesterol) or low levels of [[high-density lipoprotein]] (HDL, "good" cholesterol). These parameters in turn are believed to be risk indicators for some types of cardiovascular disease.<ref name="fphuk0000" /><ref name="who2003k" /><ref name="irhf0000" /><ref name="usda2010m" /><ref name="cann2007" /><ref name="wohf2017" /><ref name="cata2011" /><ref name="aha0000xc" /><ref name="merck0000" /> These effects were observed in children too.<ref name="sanch2008" />

Several [[meta-analysis|meta-analyses]] (reviews and consolidations of multiple previously published experimental studies) have confirmed a significant relationship between saturated fat and high [[serum cholesterol]] levels,<ref name="sacks2017" /><ref name="clarke1997" /> which in turn have been claimed to have a causal relation with increased risk of cardiovascular disease (the so-called [[lipid hypothesis]]).<ref name="buck1999" /><ref name="lewin2007" /> However, high cholesterol may be caused by many factors. Other indicators, such as high LDL/HDL ratio, have proved to be more predictive.<ref name="lewin2007" /> In a study of [[myocardial infarction]] in 52 countries, the [[apolipoprotein B|ApoB]]/[[apolipoprotein A1|ApoA1]] (related to LDL and HDL, respectively) ratio was the strongest predictor of CVD among all risk factors.<ref name="laba2011n" /> There are other pathways involving [[obesity]], [[triglyceride]] levels, [[insulin resistance|insulin sensitivity]], [[endothelium|endothelial function]], and [[thrombogenicity]], among others, that play a role in CVD, although it seems, in the absence of an adverse blood lipid profile, the other known risk factors have only a weak [[atherogenic]] effect.<ref name="laba2011p" /> Different saturated fatty acids have differing effects on various lipid levels.<ref name="thij2005" />