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Are low-carb diets unhealthy? - Dr. T. Colin Campbell
AnvilHead
Posts: 18,343 Member
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-2569612/Are-low-carb-diets-BAD-Nutrition-expert-claims-giving-grains-lead-heart-disease-cancer.html
According to this article, low-carb diets can lead to heart disease and cancer. It references a book The Low Carb Fraud, written by Dr. T. Colin Campbell, a doctor with over 40 years of experience in nutrition science. In his book, he states that not only are low-carb diets lacking in nutritional value, they're actually worse than the Standard American Diet. His standpoint is interesting as it relates to other studies on the topic.
According to Wikipedia, Dr. Campbell is a published author with several books to his name, a degreed doctor (M.S., Ph.D) and is the Professor Emeritus of Nutritional Chemistry at Cornell University.
Respectful discussion as it relates to contentious topics only please - in accordance with the forum guidelines posted above.
According to this article, low-carb diets can lead to heart disease and cancer. It references a book The Low Carb Fraud, written by Dr. T. Colin Campbell, a doctor with over 40 years of experience in nutrition science. In his book, he states that not only are low-carb diets lacking in nutritional value, they're actually worse than the Standard American Diet. His standpoint is interesting as it relates to other studies on the topic.
According to Wikipedia, Dr. Campbell is a published author with several books to his name, a degreed doctor (M.S., Ph.D) and is the Professor Emeritus of Nutritional Chemistry at Cornell University.
Respectful discussion as it relates to contentious topics only please - in accordance with the forum guidelines posted above.
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Replies
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I personally agree with many of his points.
For me, I prefer a well balanced wide variety diet.10 -
Isn't he affiliated with The China Study?6
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It seems everything can lead to heart disease and cancer. What else is new?22
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Dr T Colin Campbell is the co-author of the China Study. Is he vegan? Certainly looks like it. Hardly an unbiased point of view.15
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I believe it because it's in a publication that's been around for 161 years.
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queenliz99 wrote: »Isn't he affiliated with The China Study?
He authored The China Study and was also featured in the film Forks Over Knives.4 -
tiptoethruthetulips wrote: »Dr T Colin Campbell is the co-author of the China Study. Is he vegan? Certainly looks like it. Hardly an unbiased point of view.
Excellent point. I'd submit that bias is present in many researchers/authors and plays a large part in how studies are conducted/interpreted. That's part of why it is so important to vet one's sources thoroughly when assessing their credibility.
For example, it would be difficult to deny that Dr. Robert C. Atkins, author of Dr. Atkins' New Diet Revolution, exhibited a strong pro-keto bias - yet his work was widely accepted by keto advocates and played a large part in the increasing popularity of low-carb/keto diets.9 -
Well there must be some truth to it - everyone who embarks on a low carb diet ultimately dies.48
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I don't take anything from the Daily Mail seriously. It makes good toilet paper.15
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I need to be on low carb for digestive problems. I have never felt better. There are always going to be critics on any diet, so to each their own.12
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Yes, this is indeed the China Study guy.
The China "Study" is a joke (which is why it was self-published rather than peer-reviewed), and the data used for it directly contradicts its conclusions. The Forks Over Knives guys got hoodwinked into believing this anti-science, as did anyone who relies on that documentary or the China Study for non-fake information.10 -
richardpkennedy1 wrote: »I don't take anything from the Daily Mail seriously. It makes good toilet paper.
No it doesn't. It is as *kitten* at being toilet paper as it is a good read.6 -
richardpkennedy1 wrote: »I don't take anything from the Daily Mail seriously. It makes good toilet paper.
But the article isn't an opinion piece. It discusses and quotes a published, esteemed doctor/researcher who has offered what he deems evidence-based information. Certainly there's adequate room to debate his findings/contentions. I'm looking more for discussion of the subject matter itself rather than the validity (or lack thereof) of the source - a focus on the message rather than the messenger, if you will. There are opinions on all ends of the spectrum in this subject, many with their own sources to back them up. I thought it would engender an opportunity for all sides to be heard.
[ETA:] I take no sides in the debate - merely offering it as a topic of conversation. Please draw no inferences of my personal opinion on the source, the author or the subject matter.4 -
My view on low carb diets differ based on the% of carbs allowed. The ones that do 20-30 grams I struggle to see how they can get the nutrients they need unless they are eating huge amounts of offal. 100 grams I find you can get in a wide range of vegetables.5
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richardpkennedy1 wrote: »I don't take anything from the Daily Mail seriously. It makes good toilet paper.
But the article isn't an opinion piece. It discusses and quotes a published, esteemed doctor/researcher who has offered what he deems evidence-based information. Certainly there's adequate room to debate his findings/contentions. I'm looking more for discussion of the subject matter itself rather than the validity (or lack thereof) of the source - a focus on the message rather than the messenger, if you will. There are opinions on all ends of the spectrum in this subject, many with their own sources to back them up. I thought it would engender an opportunity for all sides to be heard.
[ETA:] I take no sides in the debate - merely offering it as a topic of conversation. Please draw no inferences of my personal opinion on the source, the author or the subject matter.
"A focus on the message rather than the messenger." Well... the messenger is important. If the messenger has a dog in the fight (as this one does) the subject matter is subject to his personal beliefs. For example, if who ever is head of operations here at MFP published a "study" that stated, "People who use My Fitness Pal lose 50% more weight than those who don't" I would raise an eye brow. Let me see this same info from a neutral source. Someone who has nothing to gain or lose from the results of said study.9 -
I seem to remember that you've posted several times in the pants dismissing Campbell's work. Perhaps I've remembered wrong.0
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Who knows.. But i have been told over and over on here to take anything the daily mail publishes with a pinch of salt, has this advice now changed?0
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Sabine_Stroehm wrote: »I seem to remember that you've posted several times in the pants dismissing Campbell's work. Perhaps I've remembered wrong.
Even if that's so, how would that prevent this from being a valid topic for debate? <confused>0 -
Christine_72 wrote: »Who knows.. But i have been told over and over on here to take anything the daily mail publishes with a pinch of salt, has this advice now changed?
No, still an awful excuse for journalism
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Again, nothing in this thread has anything to do with my opinion, feelings or beliefs. Simply offering it up as a topic for discussion in the spirit and context of the Debate forum.Sabine_Stroehm wrote: »I seem to remember that you've posted several times in the pants dismissing Campbell's work. Perhaps I've remembered wrong.
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snickerscharlie wrote: »Sabine_Stroehm wrote: »I seem to remember that you've posted several times in the pants dismissing Campbell's work. Perhaps I've remembered wrong.
Even if that's so, how would that prevent this from being a valid topic for debate? <confused>
Because it seems any link/author/website is acceptable as long as it aligns with the posters opinion. Yet if someone else posted something from that same website that went against the majority of mfp posters beliefs/opinions, it would be shot down in flames.. It's slightly confusing to say the least..
For example, I've seen authority nutrition blasted on here, yet i've seen the very same posters (who foo foo it) link to authority nutrition when it happens to say something they agree with. Yet a week later another member will post a link to AN and they will be shot down in flames for linking to a woo woo website :huh:8 -
Campbell's work is actually interesting and I'm in the minority of internet/MFP commenters in not thinking it's totally put to bed by Denise Minger's analysis, I guess (I don't think she does either, if I'm reading the general trend and tone of her latest stuff correctly). I read (kind of skimmed, though) the book being discussed in the Mail article (it's super short, one of those Kindle things) -- haven't read the Mail article, because as I've said elsewhere, the Daily Mail is a terrible source, glad a lot of people who didn't seem to think that was the case elsewhere have come around! -- as well as his new book Whole, which I actually liked. Re The China Study and Campbell's work in general, the more controversial bit is about protein, and I'd like a debate on that, but the people who seem to agree with him don't seem interested in a debate on that topic. (I am a sucker for podcasts with food/nutrition discussions too, including by people I don't agree with, so have given both the plant based types and the lower carb types some listens.)
Anyway, I don't eat as Campbell would have me eat, and I am not convinced there's a huge benefit from doing so if one has no health issues (although I'm not convinced there's not), but I do believe it's generally healthier than a low vegetable, high sat fat, high meat diet. (Also than a high refined carb/ultra processed diet, which will typically contain a lot of fat too.) Low carb diets can be quite variable, though.2 -
Again, nothing in this thread has anything to do with my opinion, feelings or beliefs. Simply offering it up as a topic for discussion in the spirit and context of the Debate forum.Sabine_Stroehm wrote: »I seem to remember that you've posted several times in the pants dismissing Campbell's work. Perhaps I've remembered wrong.
Oh ok. You posted when i was writing my above reply. I'll move on now
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Indeed. There are a plethora of foods, macro compositions and diet preferences which fall under the "low carb" umbrella.lemurcat12 wrote: »Anyway, I don't eat as Campbell would have me eat, and I am not convinced there's a huge benefit from doing so if one has no health issues (although I'm not convinced there's not), but I do believe it's generally healthier than a low vegetable, high sat fat, high meat diet. (Also than a high refined carb/ultra processed diet, which will typically contain a lot of fat too.) Low carb diets can be quite variable, though.0 -
But don't omnivores have a significantly higher cluster of cardiovascular risk factors compared with vegetarians, including increased body mass index, waist to hip ratio, blood pressure, plasma total cholesterol (TC), triacylglycerol and LDL-C levels, serum lipoprotein(a) concentration, plasma factor VII activity, ratios of TC/HDL-C, LDL-C/HDL-C and TAG/HDL-C, and serum ferritin levels?
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21204526
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Depends on overall diet though. There are healthy omnivores and unhealthy vegetarians.
BTW- why dr oz as your profile photo?1 -
ThatUserNameIsAllReadyTaken wrote: »It seems everything can lead to heart disease and cancer. What else is new?
^^^ this.
Everything in some shape form or fashion causes something or is a precursor to something or something else.3 -
Oh you - there you go being logical againsingingflutelady wrote: »Depends on overall diet though. There are healthy omnivores and unhealthy vegetarians.
Humorous guy in the diet field. Reminds me to keep it lighthearted...BTW- why dr oz as your profile photo?2
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