Ancel Keys' 1955 study demonstrating a link between cholesterol levels and heart disease mortality is widely accepted today. However, Keys selectively chose countries that supported his hypothesis and ignored others, and only looked at heart-related not overall mortality rates. More recent studies from Europe and Japan in 2003 and 2007 found higher cholesterol levels between 240-259 actually decreased overall mortality rates. Additional evidence from a 2006 study of 168 countries also suggests a J-curve relationship where the lowest mortality risk is seen within a cholesterol range of 210-230, and risks are still lower than for those under 190 even up to 250. While one study replicated Keys' heart-related findings, both it and Keys' original study only considered cardiovascular mortality not overall survival rates.

1. Cholesterol
Is high cholesterol bad for you?
Gaetan Lion
January 2018
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2. Ansel Keys dominates today’s consensus
Ancel Keys a
nutritionist
completed his 7
country study in 1955
demonstrating a
positive relationship
between cholesterol
level and mortality
rates from heart
disease. But, he
cherry picked the 7
countries that
supported his
hypothesis, while
ignoring the 15 that
did not. He also
focused on heart
related deaths and
not overall mortality
rates. 2

3. Recent evidence that higher cholesterol level
decreases overall mortality rates even at very high
cholesterol levels (240 – 259)
Two studies undertaken in Europe (2003) and Japan (2007) independently
replicated the same results. They covered over 1,100 patients.
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4. Just replicating one of the graphs
(women) for better readability
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5. Some more interesting
evidence. It could be
a J-curve type risk.
http://thetribalway.com/?p=470
Original source: BHF-Heartstats. 2006.
This refers to a study
gathering data from 168
countries in 2006.
The main J-curve is blue (all
cause of mortality). It
indicates that the lowest
mortality risk (the flat valley
part of the J) is within a total
cholesterol range of 210 –
230. Even at 240, the
mortality risk is still as low as
for the ones at 200. And, at
250 it is still lower than
anyone with a cholesterol of
under 190. J-curve risks are
interesting…
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6. Contradicting evidence… not really
The Journal of the American Osteopathic Association, April
2011, Vol. 111, eS7-eS12.
The American
Osteoppathic Association
(2011) replicated Ancel
Keys findings (1955).
However, both studies are
strictly focused on heart
related mortality, not on
overall mortality
(including cancer and all
others).
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