Final answer:
North Americans should reduce saturated fat intake and increase unsaturated fat, especially omega-3 fatty acids, to promote heart health and maintain healthy cholesterol levels.
Step-by-step explanation:
It is recommended for North Americans to reduce saturated fat intake and increase unsaturated fat consumption in their diet. Saturated fats are found mostly in animal sources and are considered unhealthy because they can deposit in the arteries leading to atherosclerosis, potentially causing high blood pressure, artery rupture, or heart attacks. Unsaturated fats, on the other hand, are primarily found in plant sources and are beneficial to heart health. They help lower low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol and raise high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol, which can contribute to healthy blood cholesterol levels. Specifically, polyunsaturated fats, which include omega-3 fatty acids found in cold-water fish like salmon, are highly recommended. These fats have a distinct structure, with a double carbon bond at the third hydrocarbon from the methyl group (omega end), offering significant health advantages such as reducing the risk of heart disease. The American Heart Association suggests that less than 30% of daily calories should come from fat, with less than 10% from saturated fats.