Butter and other fats in the average Polish diet
What it found
In a survey of Polish households, fats and oils supplied about a third of daily fat, with butter the single biggest source of saturated fat.
The data came from 36,886 households.
What they found
Studies in people
Fat from fats and oils
Fats and oils were the top source of fat in the average Polish diet, supplying 32.9% of total fat. Meat and meat products came second at 30.8%, and milk and dairy products third at 13.4%.
Butter and saturated fat
Butter was the single largest source of saturated fat, providing 13.9% of the daily supply. Fats and oils as a whole supplied 27.8% of saturated fat.
Energy from fats and oils
Fats and oils provided 298 kcal, or 13.2% of daily energy. Vegetable oils were the biggest contributor at 5.7%, followed by butter at 3.3% and margarine and other vegetable fats at 3.2%.
Fatty acids from fats and oils
Fats and oils supplied 45.6% of polyunsaturated fat, 31.5% of monounsaturated fat, and 27.8% of saturated fat. Vegetable oils had the largest share of polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fat.
Vitamins from fats and oils
Fats and oils provided 47.6% of vitamin E, with 27.7% from oils and 16.3% from margarine and other vegetable fats. They also supplied 16 to 18% of vitamin A and D.
Butter consumption by group
Monthly butter consumption ranged from 0.13 kg per person in one cluster to 0.78 kg in another. These clusters differed by education, income, urbanization, and household type.
What the authors conclude
“Our study indicated that fats and oils are an important food category in the average Polish diet, delivering 31.8 g of fat, which is almost 1/3 of the total daily fat supply.”
Also in their conclusions
- They say fats and oils are an important food category in the average Polish diet, delivering almost a third of daily fat.
- They note that fat and saturated fat intake is higher than recommended and is likely to contribute to chronic diseases.
- They say their results should be used to evaluate diets from a nutritional and health point of view and to intensify public health initiatives.
How it was done
The authors wanted to find out which foods supply energy and 25 nutrients in the average Polish diet, and how much fat and saturated fat comes from fats and oils.
They used food purchase and consumption records from 36,886 Polish households (99,230 people) collected in 2016. They grouped fats and oils into butter, vegetable oils, olive oil, margarine and other vegetable fats, and other animal fats, and calculated each group's share of energy and nutrients.
What it can’t tell you
- This was a survey of household food purchases and consumption, so it can show links but not cause and effect.
- It cannot show how individual people's health changed over time.
- The data relied on self-recording in diaries, which can lead to under- or overestimation of consumption.
Who paid
- Conflicts
- The authors declare no conflict of interest.
- Authors work at
- Warsaw University of Life Sciences, Poland
The paper
- Title
- Butter, Margarine, Vegetable Oils, and Olive Oil in the Average Polish Diet
- Type
- Study
- Evidence
- Studies in people
- Summarised from
- Full text
- Cite
- Górska-Warsewicz H, Rejman K, Laskowski W, Czeczotko M (2019). Butter, Margarine, Vegetable Oils, and Olive Oil in the Average Polish Diet. Nutrients. doi:10.3390/nu11122935Free full textPubMed 31816944DOI
Summary written 26 Sep 2026. Check it against the paper before it changes what you eat. How we summarise papers · Report an error