Archives
Fat finds favor on U.S. tables again
… or at least that is what The San Francisco Chronicle would have us believe in this article.
John is confused …
… and is wondering if this might explain a ‘thing or two’. You see, fat never fell out of favour on his table - and so it has got him to wondering if this might explain why he seems to be so much at odds with those around him. Or is it just that he is … well … odd?
Graham puts on his near-doctoral hat and comments
… from on high, of course … Well, of course John is confused. A lot of less-informed people were on this topic. But perhaps the term “bamboozled” would be more on point? Because the evidence never really existed. Results from a small, unrepresentative group were extrapolated to 200+ million people, 30 years ago, and just kept on.
The research paper, which reviewed data available at the time the guidelines were issued, states: “It seems incomprehensible that dietary advice was introduced for 220 million Americans and 56 million UK citizens, given the contrary results from a small number of unhealthy men. The results of the present meta-analysis support the hypothesis that the available (randomised controlled trials) did not support the introduction of dietary fat recommendations in order to reduce (coronary heart disease) risk or related mortality.”
The paper, published in the online journal Open Heart, added: “Dietary advice not merely needs review; it should not have been introduced.”
Not science’s finest hour, except that new research did finally overturn dogma. Maybe. And you have to admire a good, er, rearguard action.
Dr Alison Tedstone, chief nutritionist at Public Health England, said: “This paper is not critical of current advice on saturated fats, but suggests that the advice was introduced prematurely in the 1980s, before there was the extensive evidence base that exists today. The advice issued by Coma [Committee on Medical Aspects of Food Policy] in 1991 confirmed that eating too much saturated fat can raise cholesterol levels, which increases the risk of heart disease.”
John is wondering …
… is it just him … or does the ‘coma’ acronym strike you as very relevant when referencing an organisation that comments that “that eating too much saturated fat can raise cholesterol levels, which increases the risk of heart disease”
I just had a bowl of fries … time for bed.