Harvard scientists in the 1960s to shift the blame for heart disease from sugar to saturated fat

Newly unearthed documents reveal the sugar industry paid Harvard scientists in the 1960s to shift the blame for heart disease from sugar to saturated fat.

In a calculated move to protect market share, the Sugar Research Foundation (SRF) funded a 1967 literature review that effectively redirected the national health conversation.

Internal documents show the industry group paid Harvard researchers—one of whom was an ad hoc board member for the lobby—the equivalent of $50,000 today to “refute” studies linking sugar to heart disease.

Published in the New England Journal of Medicine without disclosing its funding source, the review applied rigorous skepticism to any evidence implicating sugar while giving a pass to flawed data that blamed dietary fat.

This strategic manipulation ensured that for decades, fat became the primary villain in the American diet, while sugar consumption was allowed to soar.

The legacy of this deception has had a profound impact on public health, potentially contributing to the rise of obesity and chronic illness over the last half-century. By shaping the scientific debate at such a high level, the sugar industry successfully influenced dietary guidelines and consumer behavior for generations. Experts warn that this playbook is still in use today, with modern food and beverage giants frequently sponsoring research to minimize the perceived risks of their products.

This revelation serves as a stark reminder of the need for transparency in nutrition science and suggests that policymakers must look more critically at industry-funded studies when crafting health recommendations.

source: Kearns, C. E., Schmidt, L. A., & Glantz, S. A.. Sugar Industry and Coronary Heart Disease Research: A Historical Analysis of Internal Industry Documents. JAMA Internal Medicine.