If UK’s biggest killer, cardiovascular disease, needs to be controlled then banning butter is necessary. This could prevent about 3, 500 deaths every year, a leading heart surgeon in London has claimed.

Shyam Kolvekar, of the University College London Hospital, after treating 33 year olds for heart bypass operations is heading a campaign aimed to cut short saturated fat in diets.

The surgeon said that banning butter could save several lives; these comments came as the Food Standards Agency (FSA) launched the second stage of a campaign meant to create more awareness regarding hazards of saturated fat.

He said, “Simple food swaps can make a big difference. In reality, people do not stick to complicated diets. By banning butter and replacing it with a healthy spread, the average daily sat fat intake would be reduced.”

GP Sarah Jarvis supported his comments, adding, "My patients are often simply not aware of how much saturated fat they're eating and the damage this causes until it's too late.

Doctors while giving a perfect example of decreased deaths due to lesser butter consumption said in North Karelia in Finland since the past 40 years among men there has been an 82 per cent reduction in heart disease and this has been directly linked to a decrease in butter consumption.