Experts say consuming large quantities of butter can increase mortality risk
A new study conducted by researchers from Mass General Brigham, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, and the Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard explored how a dietary switch could impact consumers longevity.
Their work found that swapping butter for plant-based oils was associated with a lower risk of premature death.
"What's surprising is the magnitude of the association that we found we saw a 17% lower risk of death when we modeled swapping butter with plant-based oils in daily diet. That is a pretty huge effect on health," study lead author Yu Zhangsaid in a news release.
The study
For the study, the researchers analyzed data from three database cohorts the Nurses Health Study (1990-2023), the Nurses Health Study II (1991-2023), and the Health Professionals Follow-up Study (1990-2023). The study included data from over 220,000 adults, all of whom were free of any major health concerns when the study began cardiovascular disease, diabetes, cancer, or neurodegenerative diseases.
The participants were followed for over three decades. Every four years, they completed questionnaires that assessed their dietary habits and health outcomes. At the end of the study, the researchers analyzed data from the Centers for Disease Control and Preventions (CDCs) National Death Index to see how participants dietary choices could impact their longevity.
The outcomes
One of the biggest findings from the study was the long-term mortality risks associated with butter consumption.
The study found that those who were eating the most butter had a 15% higher risk of death compared to those with the lowest butter consumption. On top of that, every tablespoon increase of butter also increased the risk of death from cancer by 12%.
On the other hand, participants who consumed plant-based oils had lower risks of death from all causes.
The researchers learned that participants who consumed the most plant-based oils had a 16% lower risk of premature death, and each tablespoon increase was linked with a 6% lower risk of death from cardiovascular disease and a 12% lower risk of death from cancer.
"People might want to consider that a simple dietary swap replacing butter with soybean or olive oil can lead to significant long-term health benefits," author Daniel Wang, MD, ScD, said in a news release. "From a public health perspective, this is a substantial number of deaths from cancer or from other chronic diseases that could be prevented."
Small changes can make a difference
For consumers who may want to start implementing healthier options, the researchers found that small steps can have lasting impacts on our health.
Based on their findings, the team projects that replacing one tablespoon of butter with a plant-based oil can lower the risk of both premature death and cancer-related death by 17%.
"Even cutting back butter a little and incorporating more plant-based oils into your daily diet can have meaningful long-term health benefits," Dr. Wang said.
Sign up below for The Daily Consumer, our newsletter on the latest consumer news, including recalls, scams, lawsuits and more.
Posted: 2025-03-11 18:09:52
