Is Diet Science Still Scientific?

• Tweet

What happens when a new hypothesis is put forward that contradicts another one?
It’s rigorously tested to see if it has merit, right? Wrong.

You see, sometimes diet science has a nerve even calling itself a science since it doesn’t act scientifically. Like Dr. Atkins before him Gary Taubes is fending off the critics after his new ground-breaking book ‘Good Calories, Bad Calories‘ was published.

If you’re not familiar with the book, Taubes puts forward the ‘Carbohydrate hypothesis‘ and calls for the funding to test this hypothesis against the ‘Fat hypothesis’ in an effort to ascertain which one is more effective and healthy. As a very healthy low-carber this echoes my wish too.

Fad? I Don’t Think So

For those who use the term ‘Fad Diet‘ (Lord give me strength!) to describe a controlled carbohydrate approach – put your money where your mouth is. Show support for these studies, if enough people want it, it will happen. I am very confident of the results, both for weight loss and cholesterol improvement i.e. lowering LDL levels – Low Carb will win the day.

Here’s a podcast of Gary Taubes speaking about his hypothesis on ‘Quirks & Quarks‘. About half-way through he speaks about those in the medical profession holding onto cherished beliefs even when they don’t make any sense.

Speaking about an interview Taubes had with a famous diabetes specialist who co-edited an 800 page handbook on the metabolism of fat tissue, Taubes says that virtually every chapter of this book contained the message that carbs drive insulin response and, in turn, insulin drives fat accumulation.

Taubes then puts it to this guy that this is the same as saying that carbs make you fat. If carbs drive insulin and insulin drives fat accumulation then what’s the difference between saying that and saying that carbs make us fat? While the diabetes specialist agreed with the former statement he said of the latter, “But we know what makes you fat, it’s not carbohydrates, it’s sedentary behavior.” Crazy eh?

Folks, when you believe in something that flies in the face of the evidence staring you in the face, you’ve got blind faith – NOT science.

Mark McManus

P.S. Jimmy Moore has given some great links to people who are blogging on the subject of this powerful book. They are:

• Boing Boing
• So Quoted
• Skinny Daily Post
• The BrandWiki
• Once Upon A Diet
• Lisa’s Day
• Weight of the Evidence
• Tierney Lab
• Diabetes Update
• Denver Your Hub