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Tuesday, 11 March 2014

Douglas’s Dietary Support Team in Emergency Session

A hastily convened meeting of the dietary support team has met to consider Douglas’s latest dietary faux pas.


Ken offered “I agree with you, Dr DiNicolantonio's opinion doesn't really say anything new”.

The support team were flummoxed “Hadn't Ken endlessly repeated his mantra high fat bad?”

Dr DiNicolantonio's article was published in a peer reviewed BMJ journal dedicated to publishing research in all areas of cardiovascular medicine.

The paper is well written with 39 supporting references and is structured in the following manner:
·         History of the low-fat ‘diet-heart’ hypothesis
·         The consequences of replacing saturated fats with carbohydrates
·         The consequences of replacing saturated fats with polyunsaturated (Ω-6) fats
·         Lack of evidence for a low-fat diet
·         Dietary recommendations based on evidence from the literature.

The section “Dietary recommendations based on evidence from the literature” is summarised below.

·         Dietary guideline recommendations suggesting the replacement of saturated fat with carbohydrates/Ω-6 polyunsaturated fats do not reflect the current evidence in the literature.
·         A change in these recommendations is drastically needed as public health could be at risk.
·         The increase in the prevalence of diabetes and obesity in the USA occurred with an increase in the consumption of carbohydrate not saturated fat.
·         There is no conclusive proof that a low-fat diet has any positive effects on health. Indeed, the literature indicates a general lack of any effect (good or bad) from a reduction in fat intake.
·         The public fear that saturated fat raises cholesterol is completely unfounded as the low-density lipoprotein particle size distribution is worsened when fat is replaced with carbohydrate.
·         A public health campaign is drastically needed to educate on the harms of a diet high in carbohydrate/sugar.
·         It would be naive to assume that any recommendations related to carbohydrate or fat intake would apply to processed foods, which undoubtedly should be avoided if possible.

Clearly Ken doesn’t appreciate the difference between his own poorly informed opinions and the research and weight of evidence needed to get a publication accepted in a peer reviewed BMJ journal.

Ken is not alone at DCUK. ln the same thread above for Dillinger a certain AnnieC offered “Don't think I will be changing from low fat any time soon as it suits me and I don't think my body needs saturated animal fat but everyone to their own opinion”

The Support Team meeting ended with most members in despair and hoping that perhaps the continuing use of Ken's alter ego "Douglas" would minimise future embarrassment.

John

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Any one up for a spoonful of lowfat low cal ice cream? Quick now, duggie is going hypo

Lowcarb team member said...

Hypo? – Ken’s still dancing to Donna’s disco beat “four on the floor” “four on the floor”

Edit Sorry I'm misquoting Ken it should be "four's the floor"

John