| Study | Reason for exclusion |
|---|---|
| Agewall 2001 | Multifactorial intervention |
| Ammerman 2003 | No appropriate control group (and not low fat vs modified fat) |
| Anti‐Coronary C 1966 | Not randomised |
| Aquilani 2000 | No appropriate control group (and not low fat vs modified fat) |
| Arne 2014 | Intervention aimed at weight management |
| Arntzenius 1985 | No appropriate control group (and not low fat vs modified fat) |
| Aro 1990 | Intervention and randomised follow‐up less than 6 months |
| ASSIST 2001 | Intervention is not dietary fat modification or low fat diet |
| Australian Polyp Prev | Neither mortality nor cardiovascular morbidity data available (only decided after contact with at least one author) |
| Baer 1993 | Not randomised |
| Bakx 1997 | Multifactorial intervention |
| Barnard 2009 | Weight reduction encouraged in the conventional diet, but not in the vegan diet arm |
| Barndt 1977 | No appropriate control group (and not low fat vs modified fat) |
| Baron 1990 | Multifactorial intervention |
| Barr 1990 | Intervention and randomised follow‐up less than 6 months |
| Baumann 1982 | Intervention and randomised follow‐up less than 6 months |
| Bazzano 2012 | Participants selected on basis of BMI (30 to 45) |
| Beckmann 1988 | Not randomised |
| Beckmann 1995 | Intervention is not dietary fat modification or low fat diet |
| Beresford 1992 | Intervention and randomised follow‐up less than 6 months |
| Bergstrom 1967 | Intervention and randomised follow‐up less than 6 months |
| Bierenbaum 1963 | No appropriate control group (and not low fat vs modified fat) |
| Bloomgarden 1987 | Multifactorial intervention |
| Bonnema 1995 | No appropriate control group (and not low fat vs modified fat) |
| Bosaeus 1992 | Intervention and randomised follow‐up less than 6 months |
| Boyar 1988 | Not randomised |
| Brehm 2009 | Participants recruited on basis of being overweight or obese |
| Brensike 1982 | No appropriate control group (and not low fat vs modified fat) |
| Broekmans 2003 | Intervention is not dietary fat modification or low fat diet |
| Brown 1984 | No appropriate control group (and not low fat vs modified fat) |
| Bruce 1994 | No appropriate control group (and not low fat vs modified fat) |
| Bruno 1983 | Multifactorial intervention |
| Butcher 1990 | Intervention and randomised follow‐up less than 6 months |
| Butowski 1998 | Not randomised |
| Byers 1995 | No appropriate control group (and not low fat vs modified fat) |
| Caggiula 1996 | No appropriate control group (and not low fat vs modified fat) |
| CARMEN 2000 | Participants recruited on basis of BMI (26 to 34) |
| CARMEN MS sub‐study | Substudy of CARMEN 2000, participants recruited on basis of BMI |
| Cerin 1993 | Intervention and randomised follow‐up less than 6 months |
| Chan 1993 | Intervention and randomised follow‐up less than 6 months |
| Chapman 1950 | Intervention and randomised follow‐up less than 6 months |
| Charbonnier 1975 | Intervention and randomised follow‐up less than 6 months |
| Cheng 2004 | Intervention and randomised follow‐up less than 6 months |
| Chicago CPEP 1977 | Not randomised |
| Chiostri 1988 | Intervention and randomised follow‐up less than 6 months |
| Choudhury 1984 | Intervention and randomised follow‐up less than 6 months |
| Clark 1997 | Multifactorial intervention |
| Clifton 1992 | Intervention and randomised follow‐up less than 6 months |
| Cobb 1991 | Intervention and randomised follow‐up less than 6 months |
| Cohen 1991 | Intervention is not dietary fat modification or low fat diet |
| Cole 1988 | Intervention and randomised follow‐up less than 6 months |
| Colquhoun 1990 | Intervention and randomised follow‐up less than 6 months |
| Consolazio 1946 | Intervention and randomised follow‐up less than 6 months |
| Coppell 2010 | Weight loss recommended |
| Cox 1996 | Multifactorial intervention |
| Croft 1986 | Intervention is not dietary fat modification or low fat diet |
| Crouch 1986 | Not randomised |
| Da Qing IGT 1997 | Intervention is not dietary fat modification or low fat diet |
| Dalgard 2001 | No appropriate control group (and not low fat vs modified fat) |
| DAS 1989 | No appropriate control group (and not low fat vs modified fat) |
| DASH 1997 | Intervention and randomised follow‐up less than 6 months |
| Davey Smith 2005 | Multifactorial intervention |
| de Boer 1983 | Intervention and randomised follow‐up less than 6 months |
| DeBusk 1994 | Multifactorial intervention |
| Delahanty 2001 | No appropriate control group (and not low fat vs modified fat) |
| Delius 1969 | Intervention is not dietary fat modification or low fat diet |
| Demark 1990 | Intervention and randomised follow‐up less than 6 months |
| Dengel 1995 | No appropriate control group (and not low fat vs modified fat) |
| Denke 1994 | Intervention and randomised follow‐up less than 6 months |
| Diabetes CCT 1995 | Intervention is not dietary fat modification or low fat diet |
| DIET 1998 | Multifactorial intervention |
| Ding 1992 | Intervention and randomised follow‐up less than 6 months |
| DIRECT 2009 | Weight reduction aim |
| DO IT 2004 | "Overweight subjects were encouraged to adopt a calorie‐restricted diet" |
| Dobs 1991 | No appropriate control group (and not low fat vs modified fat) |
| Duffield 1982 | Multifactorial intervention |
| Dullaart 1997 | Not randomised |
| Dutch Nutrition Guide | No data on weight or body fatness, or any cardiovascular outcomes |
| Eating Patterns 1997 | Neither mortality nor cardiovascular morbidity data available (only decided after contact with at least one author) |
| Eckard 2013 | Energy restricted diet |
| Ehnholm 1982 | Intervention and randomised follow‐up less than 6 months |
| Ehnholm 1984 | Intervention and randomised follow‐up less than 6 months |
| Eisenberg 1990 | Intervention and randomised follow‐up less than 6 months |
| Elder 2000 | No appropriate control group (and not low fat vs modified fat) |
| Ellegard 1991 | Intervention and randomised follow‐up less than 6 months |
| Esposito 2003 | No appropriate control group (and not low fat vs modified fat) |
| Esposito 2004 | No appropriate control group (both groups aimed at < 30%E from fat) |
| Esposito 2014 | Energy restricted diet |
| EUROACTION 2008 | Multifactorial intervention |
| FARIS 1997 | Multifactorial intervention |
| Fasting HGS 1997 | No appropriate control group (and not low fat vs modified fat) |
| Ferrara 2000 | No appropriate control group (and not low fat vs modified fat) |
| Fielding 1995 | Intervention and randomised follow‐up less than 6 months |
| Finckenor 2000 | Not randomised |
| Finnish Diabetes 2000 | Multifactorial intervention |
| Finnish Mental 1972 | Not randomised (cluster‐randomised, but < 6 clusters) |
| Fisher 1981 | Intervention and randomised follow‐up less than 6 months |
| Fleming 2002 | No appropriate control group (and not low fat vs modified fat) |
| Fortmann 1988 | Intervention is not dietary fat modification or low fat diet |
| Foster 2003 | Weight reduction in one arm but not the other |
| FRESH START 2007 | Participants were newly diagnosed with cancer |
| Friedman 2012 | Weight loss diets |
| Gambera 1995 | Intervention and randomised follow‐up less than 6 months |
| Gaullier 2007 | No appropriate control group (and not low fat vs modified fat) |
| German Fat Reduced | Participants recruited on basis of their BMI (24 to 29) |
| Ginsberg 1988 | Intervention and randomised follow‐up less than 6 months |
| Gjone 1972 | Intervention and randomised follow‐up less than 6 months |
| Glatzel 1966 | No appropriate control group (and not low fat vs modified fat) |
| Goodpaster 1999 | No appropriate control group (and not low fat vs modified fat) |
| Gower 2012 | Participants recruited on basis of high BMI |
| Gregg 2013 | Participants recruited on basis of high BMI |
| Grundy 1986 | Intervention and randomised follow‐up less than 6 months |
| Gudlaugsson 2013 | Multifactorial intervention |
| Guelinckx 2010 | Participants recruited on basis of high BMI |
| Guldbrand 2012 | Weight loss intended |
| Hardcastle 2008 | Multifactorial intervention |
| Harris 1990 | Intervention and randomised follow‐up less than 6 months |
| Hartman 1993 | No appropriate control group (and not low fat vs modified fat) |
| Hartwell 1986 | No appropriate control group (and not low fat vs modified fat) |
| Hashim 1960 | Intervention and randomised follow‐up less than 6 months |
| Haynes 1984 | Intervention is not dietary fat modification or low fat diet |
| Heber 1991 | Intervention and randomised follow‐up less than 6 months |
| Heine 1989 | Neither mortality nor cardiovascular morbidity data available (only decided after contact with at least one author) |
| Heller 1993 | Neither mortality nor cardiovascular morbidity data available (only decided after contact with at least one author) |
| Hildreth 1951 | No appropriate control group (and not low fat vs modified fat) |
| Hood 1965 | Not randomised |
| Horlick 1957 | Intervention and randomised follow‐up less than 6 months |
| Horlick 1960 | Intervention and randomised follow‐up less than 6 months |
| Howard 1977 | Intervention and randomised follow‐up less than 6 months |
| Hunninghake 1990 | Intervention and randomised follow‐up less than 6 months |
| Hutchison 1983 | No appropriate control group (and not low fat vs modified fat) |
| Hyman 1998 | Neither mortality nor cardiovascular morbidity data available (only decided after contact with at least one author) |
| Iacono 1981 | Not randomised; intervention and randomised follow‐up less than 6 months |
| IMPACT 1995A | Multifactorial intervention |
| Ishikawa 1995 | Not randomised |
| Iso 1991 | No appropriate control group (and not low fat vs modified fat) |
| Ives 1993 | Multifactorial intervention |
| Jalkanen 1991 | Multifactorial intervention |
| Janus 2012 | Weight loss intended |
| Jepson 1969 | Not randomised |
| Jerusalem Nut 1992 | Intervention and randomised follow‐up less than 6 months |
| Jonasson 2014 | Energy restricted diet |
| Juanola‐Falgarona 2014 | Energy restricted diet |
| Jula 1990 | Multifactorial intervention |
| Junker 2001 | Intervention and randomised follow‐up less than 6 months |
| Karmally 1990 | Intervention and randomised follow‐up less than 6 months |
| Karvetti 1992 | Multifactorial intervention |
| Kastarinen 2002 | Multifactorial intervention |
| Kather 1985 | Intervention and randomised follow‐up less than 6 months |
| Kattelmann 2010 | Weight loss intended |
| Katzel 1995 | Not randomised |
| Katzel 1995A | Intervention is not dietary fat modification or low fat diet |
| Kawamura 1993 | Intervention and randomised follow‐up less than 6 months |
| Keidar 1988 | Intervention and randomised follow‐up less than 6 months |
| Kempner 1948 | No appropriate control group (and not low fat vs modified fat) |
| Keys 1952 | Not randomised |
| Keys 1957 | Intervention and randomised follow‐up less than 6 months |
| Keys 1957A | Intervention and randomised follow‐up less than 6 months |
| Keys 1957B | Intervention and randomised follow‐up less than 6 months |
| Khan 2003 | Neither mortality nor cardiovascular morbidity data available (only decided after contact with at least one author) |
| King 2000 | Intervention and randomised follow‐up less than 6 months |
| Kingsbury 1961 | Intervention and randomised follow‐up less than 6 months |
| Klemsdal 2010 | Participants recruited on basis of high BMI |
| Kohler 1986 | Not randomised |
| Kontogianni 2012 | Not randomised |
| Koopman 1990 | Intervention and randomised follow‐up less than 6 months |
| Koranyi 1963 | Unclear whether randomised |
| Korhonen 2003 | Multifactorial intervention |
| Kriketos 2001 | Intervention and randomised follow‐up less than 6 months |
| Kris 1994 | Intervention and randomised follow‐up less than 6 months |
| Kristal 1997 | Multifactorial intervention |
| Kromhout 1987 | No appropriate control group (and not low fat vs modified fat) |
| Kummel 2008 | Intervention is not dietary fat modification or low fat diet |
| Laitinen 1993 | Multifactorial intervention |
| Laitinen 1994 | Multifactorial intervention |
| Larsen 2011 | Energy restricted diet |
| Leduc 1994 | Multifactorial intervention |
| Leibbrandt 2010 | Participants recruited on basis of high BMI |
| Lewis 1958 | Intervention and randomised follow‐up less than 6 months |
| Lewis 1981 | Intervention and randomised follow‐up less than 6 months |
| Lewis 1985 | Multifactorial intervention |
| Lichtenstein 2002 | Intervention and randomised follow‐up less than 6 months |
| Linko 1957 | Intervention and randomised follow‐up less than 6 months |
| Lipid Res Clinic 1984 | No appropriate control group (and not low fat vs modified fat) |
| Little 1990 | Intervention and randomised follow‐up less than 6 months |
| Little 1991 | Not randomised |
| Little 2004 | Intervention is not dietary fat modification or low fat diet |
| Lottenberg 1996 | Intervention and randomised follow‐up less than 6 months |
| Luoto 2012 | No assessment of total fat intake |
| Luszczynska 2007 | No appropriate control group (and not low fat vs modified fat) |
| Lyon Diet Heart 1994 | Intervention is not dietary fat modification or low fat diet |
| Lysikova 2003 | Intervention and randomised follow‐up less than 6 months |
| Macdonald 1972 | Intervention and randomised follow‐up less than 6 months |
| Mansel 1990 | Intervention is not dietary fat modification or low fat diet |
| Marckmann 1993 | Not randomised |
| MARGARIN | No appropriate control group (and not low fat vs modified fat) |
| Martin 2011 | Participants recruited on basis of high BMI |
| Maruthur 2014 | No relevant outcomes available |
| Mattson 1985 | Intervention and randomised follow‐up less than 6 months |
| Mayneris‐Perxachs 2014 | No assessment of total fat intake |
| McCarron 1997 | Intervention and randomised follow‐up less than 6 months |
| McCarron 2001 | Intervention is not dietary fat modification or low fat diet |
| McManus 2001 | Neither mortality nor cardiovascular morbidity data available (only decided after contact with at least one author) |
| McNamara 1981 | Intervention and randomised follow‐up less than 6 months |
| Medi‐RIVAGE 2004 | Weight reduction for some low fat diet participants (those with BMI > 25) but not in Mediterranean group |
| Mensink 1987 | Intervention and randomised follow‐up less than 6 months |
| Mensink 1989 | Intervention and randomised follow‐up less than 6 months |
| Mensink 1990 | Intervention and randomised follow‐up less than 6 months |
| Mensink 1990A | Intervention and randomised follow‐up less than 6 months |
| Merrill 2011 | Multifactorial intervention |
| Metroville Health 2003 | No assessment of outcomes further than reduction in fat |
| Michalsen 2006 | Diet plus stress management vs no intervention |
| Miettinen 1994 | Intervention and randomised follow‐up less than 6 months |
| Millar 1973 | No appropriate control group (and not low fat vs modified fat) |
| Miller 1998 | Intervention and randomised follow‐up less than 6 months |
| Miller 2001 | Neither mortality nor cardiovascular morbidity data available (only decided after contact with at least one author) |
| Milne 1994 | No appropriate control group (and not low fat vs modified fat) ‐ the high CHO diet is neither 'usual' or 'low fat' to compare with the modified fat diet |
| Minnesota HHP 1990 | No appropriate control group (and not low fat vs modified fat) |
| Mishra 2013 | Intervention and randomised follow‐up less than 6 months |
| Mitchell 2011 | No relevant outcomes available |
| Mokuno 1988 | Intervention and randomised follow‐up less than 6 months |
| Moreno 1994 | Not randomised |
| Morrison 1950 | Not randomised |
| Morrison 1951 | Not randomised |
| Morrison 1960 | Not randomised |
| Mortensen 1983 | Intervention and randomised follow‐up less than 6 months |
| Moses 2014 | Intervention and randomised follow‐up less than 6 months |
| MRFIT substudy 1986 | Intervention and randomised follow‐up less than 6 months |
| MSDELTA 1995 | Intervention and randomised follow‐up less than 6 months |
| MUFObes low fat 2007 | Trial aims to assess weight maintenance following major weight loss |
| MUFObes low vs mod 2007 | Trial aims to assess weight maintenance following major weight loss |
| Mujeres Felices 2003 | Diet and breast self examination vs no intervention |
| Munsters 2010 | Weight loss intended |
| Mutanen 1997 | Intervention and randomised follow‐up less than 6 months |
| Muzio 2007 | Intervention and randomised follow‐up less than 6 months |
| Naglak 2000 | Dietary fat intervention unclear |
| NAS 1987 | Intervention and randomised follow‐up less than 6 months |
| NCEP weight | Neither mortality nor cardiovascular morbidity data available (only decided after contact with at least one author) |
| Neil 1995 | No appropriate control group (and not low fat vs modified fat) |
| Neverov 1997 | Multifactorial intervention |
| Next Step 1995 | Neither mortality nor cardiovascular morbidity data available (only decided after contact with at least one author) |
| Nordoy 1971 | Intervention and randomised follow‐up less than 6 months |
| Norway Veg Oil 1968 | No appropriate control group (and not low fat vs modified fat) |
| Novotny 2012 | Weight loss intended |
| Nutrition Ed Study 1980 | Those who were overweight were provided with a weight reduction booklet |
| O'Brien 1976 | Intervention and randomised follow‐up less than 6 months |
| ODES 2001 | The study aimed for weight loss in some participants |
| Oldroyd 2001 | Multifactorial intervention |
| Orazio 2011 | Weight loss intended |
| ORIGIN 2008 | Intervention is not dietary fat modification or low fat diet |
| Ornish 1990 | Multifactorial intervention (diet, smoking, stress and exercise) compared to no intervention |
| Oslo Study 1980 | Multifactorial intervention |
| Otago Weight Loss 2005 | Although intake was ad libitum the aim was for weight loss to occur ‐ participants presumably joined the study on the basis that it was assessing effects on weight loss, so were keen to lose weight |
| Pandey 2013 | Not randomised |
| Pascale 1995 | Multifactorial intervention |
| Paz‐Tal 2013 | No relevant outcomes available |
| PEP 2001 | Multifactorial intervention |
| PHYLLIS 1993 | No appropriate control group (and not low fat vs modified fat) |
| PREDIMED 2007 | Modified fat group is clearly defined, but no fat goals were set for the low fat group. We were unable to verify whether the fat aim was ≤ 30%E |
| PREMIER 2003 | Overweight participants were encouraged to lose weight |
| Pritchard 2002 | The study aimed for weight loss in one arm and not in the comparison arm |
| Puget Sound EP | Neither mortality nor cardiovascular morbidity data available (only decided after contact with at least one author) |
| Rabast 1979 | Intervention and randomised follow‐up less than 6 months |
| Rabkin 1981 | Intervention and randomised follow‐up less than 6 months |
| Radack 1990 | Intervention and randomised follow‐up less than 6 months |
| Rasmussen 1995 | Intervention and randomised follow‐up less than 6 months |
| Reaven 2001 | Intervention and randomised follow‐up less than 6 months |
| Reid 2002 | No appropriate control group (and not low fat vs modified fat) |
| Renaud 1986 | Not randomised |
| Rivellese 2003 | Intervention and randomised follow‐up less than 6 months |
| Roderick 1997 | Neither mortality nor cardiovascular morbidity data available (only decided after contact with at least one author) |
| Roman CHD prev 1986 | Multifactorial intervention |
| Rose 1987 | No appropriate control group (and not low fat vs modified fat) |
| Rusu 2013 | Energy restricted diet |
| Sacks 2009 | All arms aimed at a 750 kcal/day deficit to ensure weight loss |
| Salas‐Salvado 2014 | No assessment of total fat intake |
| Sandstrom 1992 | Not randomised |
| Sasaki 2000 | Not randomised |
| Schaefer 1995 | Intervention and randomised follow‐up less than 6 months |
| Schaefer 1995A | Intervention and randomised follow‐up less than 6 months |
| Schectman 1996 | Multifactorial intervention |
| Schlierf 1995 | Multifactorial intervention |
| Seppanen‐Laakso | Intervention and randomised follow‐up less than 6 months |
| Shai 2012 | Energy restricted diet |
| Singh 1990 | Not randomised |
| Singh 1991 | Multifactorial intervention |
| Singh 1992 | No appropriate control group (and not low fat vs modified fat) |
| Siqueira‐Catania 2010 | Weight loss intended |
| Sirtori 1992 | Intervention and randomised follow‐up less than 6 months |
| SLIM 2008 | Multifactorial intervention |
| Sollentuna Diet | The study aimed for weight loss in one arm and not in the comparison arm |
| Sollentuna Diet & Ex | The study aimed for weight loss in one arm and not in the comparison arm |
| Sopotsinskaia 1992 | The study aimed for weight loss in one arm and not in the comparison arm |
| Staff HHP 1994 | Not randomised |
| Stanford NAP 1997 | Intervention and randomised follow‐up less than 6 months |
| Stanford Weight | The study aimed for weight loss in one arm and not in the comparison arm |
| Starmans 1995 | Intervention and randomised follow‐up less than 6 months |
| Steinbach 1996 | Multifactorial intervention |
| Steptoe 2001 | No appropriate control group (and not low fat vs modified fat) |
| Stevens 2002 | Diet plus breast self examination vs no intervention |
| Stevenson 1988 | No appropriate control group (and not low fat vs modified fat) |
| Sweeney 2004 | Intervention is not dietary fat modification or low fat diet |
| TAIM 1989 | Intervention is not dietary fat modification or low fat diet |
| Take Heart II 1997 | Not randomised |
| Tapsell 2004 | No weight data or cardiovascular outcomes reported |
| Taylor 1991 | Not randomised |
| THIS DIET 2008 | Study states "although this was not a weight loss intervention, participants who were overweight or obese were encouraged to reduce calories to facilitate weight loss". |
| TOHP I 1992 | Multifactorial intervention |
| TONE 1997 | Intervention is not dietary fat modification or low fat diet |
| Toobert 2003 | Multifactorial intervention |
| Toronto Polyp Prev 1994 | No weight or BMI data presented |
| Towle 1994 | Intervention and randomised follow‐up less than 6 months |
| TRANSFACT 2006 | Intervention and randomised follow‐up less than 6 months |
| Treatwell 1992 | Neither mortality nor cardiovascular morbidity data available (only decided after contact with at least one author) |
| Tromso Heart 1989 | Multifactorial intervention |
| Turku Weight | Both intervention groups aimed to lose weight, while the control group did not |
| Turpeinen 1960 | Not randomised |
| UK PDS 1996 | No appropriate control group (and not low fat vs modified fat) |
| Urbach 1952 | No appropriate control group (and not low fat vs modified fat) |
| Uusitupa 1993 | Multifactorial intervention |
| Uusitupa 2013 | Intervention and randomised follow‐up less than 6 months |
| Vavrikova 1958 | Intervention and randomised follow‐up less than 6 months |
| Wan 2013 | Not a RCT |
| Wass 1981 | Intervention and randomised follow‐up less than 6 months |
| Wassertheil 1985 | Intervention is not dietary fat modification or low fat diet |
| WATCH | Neither mortality nor cardiovascular morbidity data available (only decided after contact with at least one author) |
| Watts 1988 | Intervention and randomised follow‐up less than 6 months |
| Weintraub 1992 | No appropriate control group (and not low fat vs modified fat) |
| Westman 2006 | Intervention is not dietary fat modification or low fat diet |
| Weststrate 1998 | Intervention and randomised follow‐up less than 6 months |
| WHO primary prev 1979 | Multifactorial intervention |
| WHT | Neither mortality nor cardiovascular morbidity data available as such data were not collected in the study |
| Wilke 1974 | Intervention and randomised follow‐up less than 6 months |
| Williams 1990 | Intervention is not dietary fat modification or low fat diet |
| Williams 1992 | Intervention is not dietary fat modification or low fat diet |
| Williams 1994 | Intervention is not dietary fat modification or low fat diet |
| Wilmot 1952 | No appropriate control group (and not low fat vs modified fat) |
| Wing 1998 | No appropriate control group (and not low fat vs modified fat) |
| Wolever 2008 | Weight loss intended in some participants |
| WOMAN 2007 | Lifestyle intervention includes exercise and weight as well as diet |
| Wood 1988 | Intervention is not dietary fat modification or low fat diet |
| Woollard 2003 | Multifactorial intervention including smoking, weight, exercise and alcohol components |
| Working Well 1996 | Multifactorial intervention |
| Young 2010 | Weight loss intended |
| Zock 1995 | Intervention and randomised follow‐up less than 6 months |
BMI: body mass index RCT: randomised controlled trial