Reducing the amount of saturated fat in your diet does not lower the risk of heart disease heart disease.

A new study published in the British Journal for Sports Medicine (BJSM) says that despite a long-held belief by medical professionals, dietary saturated fat does not clog arteries.

Experts are advising people to focus on exercise, avoiding a stressful lifestyle and eating "real food."

“It is time to shift the public health message in the prevention and treatment of coronary artery disease away from measuring serum lipids and reducing dietary saturated fat,” an editorial in the journal says.

The authors argue decades of emphasis on the primacy of lowering plasma cholesterol and driving a market of “proven to lower cholesterol” and “low fat” foods and medications, “has been misguided." Selective reporting of the data may account for such misconceptions, they suggest.

Just 30 minutes of “moderate activity” a day, three or more times a week is listed as being the most significant thing a person can do when it comes to reducing biological risk factors for sedentary adults.

The authors also say the impact of chronic stress should also not be overlooked because it puts the body’s inflammatory response on permanent high alert.

What is heart disease?

Coronary heart disease is the main form of heart disease. It is a disorder of the blood vessels of the heart that can lead to heart attack.

A heart attack happens when an artery becomes blocked, preventing oxygen and nutrients from getting to the heart.

Heart disease is one of several cardiovascular diseases, which are diseases of the heart and blood vessel system.

Irish Heart Disease Awareness (IHDA) says one in four people will die from heart disease or stroke in Ireland.

This equates to approximately 10,000 people in Ireland who will die each year from a heart attack, stroke or other associated conditions, making heart disease the biggest killer in Ireland.