highfat

Highfat is a descriptive term used in nutrition to denote foods or diets in which fats provide a large share of total energy. In general dietary practice, high-fat diets supply more than about 35-40% of energy from fats; ketogenic patterns may reach 60-75% of energy, with carbohydrates restricted accordingly. The term does not imply a specific fat type.

Fats encompass saturated, monounsaturated, polyunsaturated, and trans fats. High-fat foods range from natural sources such as fatty fish, nuts, seeds, avocados, and full-fat dairy to processed products like fried foods and baked goods that rely on added fats. The health impact of a high-fat diet depends largely on the fatty-acid profile and total caloric balance, as well as the presence of other nutrients such as fiber and micronutrients.

Possible effects include increased satiety after meals and alterations in postprandial lipid responses. Long-term outcomes vary by composition: diets high in unsaturated fats are often associated with favorable lipid profiles and cardiovascular risk patterns in some populations, whereas high intake of saturated and trans fats has been linked to higher cardiovascular risk in others. Individual factors, including genetics, activity level, and overall diet quality, influence results.

Regulatory and labeling usage varies: some nutrition labels describe products as high-fat when a large percentage of calories come from fat, while clinical and research contexts use more precise definitions based on percent energy from fat and the subtypes of fat consumed.