Question regarding new research and patient education

[DatMurse]

Hello nurses,

I am a student and a hobby of mine is nutrition, it has came to light that high cholesterol and saturated fat is not actually associated with heart disease based off of many studies(meta-analysis, RCT, etc).

Many of this has came into question when people started looking at health statistics worldwide rather than the US alone, such as the French Paradox.

Now many people may disagree with me, but how do you introduce new information to a community with outdated beliefs?

[HouTx, BSN, MSN, EdD]

As a nursing student, your authority is very limited. You can always share the information with others, but any authentic policy changes will have to come from people with the authority to make them. Perhaps you could contact a Dietitian in your area and ask for her/his advice.

[llg, PhD, RN]

The nutritional research you speak of is not clear-cut. Experts with a lot more knowledge and experience than any of us here are not yet certain about the many factors that contribute to heart disease. There are lots of conflicting studies, gray areas, and aspects of heart disease development that are still very "cloudy." Thats why there are panels of experts within professional associations and government agencies who regular review the latest research and produce guidelines and recommendations. Chaos would ensue if there was not an organized effort to pull all the data together and produce prudent guidelines for society. Yes, those guidelines need to be updated when new information becomes available -- but chaos would ensue if each health care provider were making recommendations on the last few things he/she had read.

As a newbie with limited knowledge and experience in these matters it is best for you to talk with the experts in your environment and ask them about the things that you have read. In the process of talking with your local experts, you may be pointing out a few resources they have been previoiusly unaware of -- and they may do the same with you. They will take any new information you share with them, evaluate it, and incorporate it into their recommendations as appropriate -- and you will gain the benefit of hearing their expert assessment of that information. In other words, you can both learn something from the exchange of information.

That's the way things move foreward.

[DatMurse]

I just found this re-analysis of the "saturated fats are bad"

The basis of this teaching was the sydney heart study...

http://group.bmj.com/group/media/latest-news/study-raises-questions-about-dietary-fats-and-heart-disease-guidance

Study raises questions about dietary fats and heart disease guidance — BMJ Group