Effective practices and partial knowledge: negotiations around the "cholesterol hypothesis"

Attempts to relate high cholesterol to the risks associated with cardiovascular disease date back to 1916. Since 1950, intensive clinical and epidemiological studies have sought evidence for this relationship. The “cholesterol hypothesis”, far from being accepted, enjoyed not only great debate during the 1950’s, but also great amounts of attention from the public. The importance gained by nutritional ideas was essential to establish a relation between cholesterol acquired through diet with high blood cholesterol and an increase of the risks associated with cardiovascular disease. In this context, the appearance on the U.S. market of a margarine based on vegetable polyunsaturated fatty acids that reduces cholesterol, and the hypothesis that high cholesterol is a risk factor for developing heart disease, are an example of the complex relationship between scientific research, food industry and consumers in this process. All of them participate in a process of co-production of knowledge about cholesterol, diet and prevention of coronary heart disease.