Saturated fats are popular with manufacturers of processed foods because they are less vulnerable to rancidity and are, in general, more solid at room temperature than "unsaturated" fats.
Although this evaluation was criticized by many scientists, it fueled debate over worldwide dietary advice to substitute polyunsaturated fats for saturated fats.
Furthermore, a high-fat diet can contain unacceptably high amounts of saturated fat, even if saturated fats from animal products and tropical oils are avoided.