In a report questioned by other health specialists, the National Obesity Forum (NOF) and Public Health Collaborative (PHC) said "eating fat does not make you fat".
UK dietary guidelines advise people to eat lots of fruit and vegetables, plenty of carbohydrates such as potatoes, bread, rice, pasta and other starchy foods, alongside some meat, fish, eggs, beans and other non-dairy proteins.
They also encourage using low-fat milk and dairy products, and warn that foods and drinks that are high in salt, fat and sugar should be consumed in small amounts.
The NOF/PHC report, entitled "Eat Fat, Cut the Carbs and Avoid Snacking to Reverse Obesity and Type 2 Diabetes", called for a "major overhaul" of the guidelines and said snacking in-between meals is what is making people overweight.
"The role of poor dietary advice has been ignored for too long. Specifically, the 'low fat' and 'lower cholesterol' messages have had unintended disastrous health consequences," the report said.
