Palm oil and child health: what the evidence shows
What it found
In children, the evidence does not show harmful health effects from palm oil.
Palm oil is a major source of saturated fats, which are linked to heart problems when eaten in excess.
What they found
Studies in people
No harm shown in children, according to the study
To date, there is no evidence of harmful effects of palm oil on children's health. In young people with normal weight and cholesterol, palm oil consumption is not correlated with heart disease risk factors.
Cholesterol effects
Palm oil does not seem to have significant effects on lipid profiles in young people or those with normal cholesterol. A meta-analysis found that replacing palm oil with other fats did not change the LDL/HDL ratio.
Obesity study
A study in young, healthy, average-weight and slightly overweight people found that eating desserts made with palm oil led to a more atherogenic lipoprotein profile, doubled visceral fat, and increased liver steatosis compared with sunflower oil. Similar results were seen with butter, suggesting the effect may be from fatty acids in general.
Mortality and saturated fat
A meta-analysis found no link between saturated fat consumption and all-cause mortality. Unsaturated trans fats are the only fatty acids associated with increased risk.
Studies in people and animals
Cancer risk
There is no evidence that standard consumption of palm oil in packaged foods plays a relevant role in increasing or decreasing cancer risk. Micronutrients in palm oil like carotenoids and vitamin E have protective effects, but these are absent in the refined palm oil used in Europe.
Other findings
Saturated fat and heart risk
Palm oil is a significant source of saturated fatty acids. Scientific evidence links these to negative health effects when eaten in excess, especially for heart disease.
What the authors conclude
“To date, there is no evidence of harmful effects of palm oil on the health of children; in fact, palmitic acid has been to be necessary in the first years of life, as it is one of the main components of breast milk.”
Also in their conclusions
- They conclude that to date, there is no evidence of harmful effects of palm oil on the health of children.
- They advise that the most important thing is to consume no more than 10% of saturated fatty acids, regardless of their origin and regardless of one's age.
- They state that the matter is not palm oil itself but the fatty-acid-rich food group to which it belongs.
How it was done
Palm oil is widely used in food and has sparked debate about whether it harms health. The authors wanted to see if there is evidence to justify fears about palm oil, especially for children.
The authors reviewed scientific papers from the past 20 years on palm oil and child health. They searched medical databases for studies in children and adults using terms like palm oil, saturated fatty acids, cholesterol, and heart disease.
What it can’t tell you
- This is a review of existing studies, so it cannot prove cause and effect.
- The studies included were mostly in people, but some findings come from lab or animal research, which may not apply to humans.
- The long-term health effects of palm oil consumption in children are not known from the available evidence.
Who paid
- Conflicts
- The authors declare no conflict of interest.
- Authors work at
- Università degli Studi di Perugia, Italy
The paper
- Title
- Pediatric Age Palm Oil Consumption
- Type
- ReviewThe authors read earlier studies and describe what they found. It isn’t a new study.
- Evidence
- Studies in people · animals · lab
- Summarised from
- Full text
- Cite
- Di Genova L, Cerquiglini L, Penta L, Biscarini A, Esposito S (2018). Pediatric Age Palm Oil Consumption. International journal of environmental research and public health. doi:10.3390/ijerph15040651Free full textPubMed 29614758DOI
Summary written 26 Sep 2026. Check it against the paper before it changes what you eat. How we summarise papers · Report an error