The largest nutrition study ever conducted has concluded that low-fat diets do not reduce chances of getting cancer or heart disease, but nutritionists, professors and students on campus say the results should be taken with a grain of salt.

The Journal of the American Medical Association published the $415 million study, which involved almost 49,000 post-menopausal women ages 50 to 79 for more than eight years, on Feb. 8. Researchers reported that at the conclusion of the study, those assigned to a low-fat diet had the same rates of breast cancer, colon cancer, heart attack and stroke as those who ate a normal diet.

The study's investigators agreed the results do not justify recommending low-fat diets to the public to reduce the risk of heart disease and cancer.

However, Tracy Betz, a registered dietitian in Student Health Service, has found weaknesses in the study.

"The participants self-monitored their fat intake," Betz said. "Self-monitoring and self-reporting is likely inaccurate and subject to bias by the participant."

College of Nursing Professor Marilyn Frenn agreed the study contained some holes.

"The women in this study were overweight and obese, which may have meant that they needed to have started eating healthy earlier in life to see more improved health benefits," she said.

According to the study, the women involved generally reflected the "characteristics of the general population of women of this age throughout the United States, except that they had somewhat higher obesity measures, income, and education and lower rates of smoking."

Around 38 percent of the participants had body mass indexes equal to or over 30, the point at which individuals are considered obese; another 36 percent of the participants had a Body Mass Index of between 25 and 30, which is considered overweight.

Frenn said students should remember that good eating habits in a person's youth and through middle age help people stay healthy.

"Marquette students should not look at these results as an excuse or reason to eat more pizza and burgers every day," College of Health Sciences senior Rick Carlson said. "Instead, this study should make the public more aware that diet is not the only factor involved in leading a healthy life. Exercise, smoking and other non-dietary factors can have a profound effect on a person's health."

Carlson also noted that the study focused on reducing total fat intake, rather than reducing specific types of fats.

"Previously established guidelines state that unsaturated fats are much better for the body than saturated and trans fats," he said. "So, while the women in the study consumed less fat overall, that doesn't mean they necessarily decreased the intake of unhealthy fats. This is important because it means that the results may not be as conclusive as some might believe."

Dieting is a contemporary issue that often turns trendy, according to College of Health Sciences sophomore Diana Mitsche, who advised fellow students to avoid such trends.

"I think this study proves that dieting is a matter of moderation. Eat what you want, as long as it's moderated," Mitsche said.

Frenn agreed, saying as a nurse she has learned that a balanced diet is the best recommendation.

"Even though this was a really large and well-designed study, we need to make decisions on the results of many studies," she said.

Betz also noted the error in relying on a single study.

"No one should base what they do or don't do on one study," she said. "People should not feel more at ease with eating a high-fat diet. Science as a whole still points to a high-fat diet increasing people's risk for heart disease, diabetes and cancer."

Betz acknowledged the difficulties of remaining on a constrictive diet and recommended that Marquette students take a "non-diet" approach.

"I think people's eating focus should be on health," she said. "There is no magic diet, food combination or diet prescription that will help everyone lose weight or be healthier."

Betz and Frenn both recommend using www.mypyramid.gov as a tool for information on what foods should be eaten and in what amounts, based on age, gender and activity level.