The original work of Ancel Keys which eventually led to the dietary guidelines recommending a reduction in total fat and particularly saturated fat (SFA) was based on epidemiological studies which related the national fat data to the incidence of heart disease (1). However almost invariably countries which have a high intake of fat also have […]
INTRODUCTION When the dietary recommendations were being devised initially a high intake of fat was considered to be a risk factor for certain types of cancer and in particular breast cancer in women. This conclusion was based largely on international comparisons and the results of animal studies. RESULTS OF VARIOUS STUDIES However the results of
124. Cancer: Evidence Points to Carbohydrates not Fat Read More »
Epidemiological studies into changing patterns of food consumption and disease statistics can provide valuable insights into the relationships between diet and health. In Great Britain data from national statistics show that amount of fat consumed has fallen from 120gm/day in 1969 to 74gm/day in 2000. When expressed as a proportion of energy consumed the fat
According to The Guardian (8september 2014) Professor Sir Stephen Bloom is developing an “intelligent microchip” which will send signals to the brain that will stop the urge to eat. Bloom is head of the diabetes, endocrinology and metabolism at Imperial College London in Hammersmith Hospital. He believes that this will reduce appetite and therefore act as
There is now overwhelming evidence that the decision to advise consumers to reduce the amount of fat and saturated fat (SFA) in the diet has turned out to be one of the most disastrous mistakes in the history of public health policy. As people implemented the recommendations it was inevitable that there was a corresponding
As a society we seem to have been conditioned to expect that treatment with drugs and other medical procedures are the answer to every form of ill-health. Many of us feel short-changed if we come away from a visit to the GP without a subscription for one or more medicines. However the hard reality is
112. Overcome Type 2 Diabetes: Change the Diet and Ditch the Drugs Read More »
The IEA has just published a report which concludes that: “The rise in obesity has been primarily caused by a decline in physical activity at home and in the workplace, not an increase in sugar, fat or calorie consumption” (1). The report relies mainly on official statistics but is also heavily dependent on the conventional
111. The Institute of Economic Affairs (IEA) Report on Obesity Read More »
Dr David Diamond is a neuroscientist who was overweight with high values for his blood cholesterol (TC) and triglycerides, which indicated that he was a prime candidate for heart disease. He was therefore typical of those who are recommended to be prescribed statins on the grounds that this treatment will lower the TC and therefore
106. Bad Science and Big Business Responsible for Obesity Epidemic Read More »
In an article entitled “The shape we’re in” Guardian health editor Sarah Boseley presents “ten shocking facts about Britain’s health crisis” which claim to be the truth about obesity (1). Unfortunately she simply re-hashes the stale old arguments and false information, which is why we are in such a mess. There is no doubt that
In a paper just published in BMJ Open, it is reported that the incidence of prediabetes in England increased from 11.6% in 2003 to 35.6% in 2011 (1). Those with prediabetes have an increased risk of developing full blown diabetes. Furthermore vascular complications, nephropathy, retinopathy and neuropathies are more common in people with prediabetes than
82. Huge Increase in the Incidence of Prediabetes Read More »