Junkfood science

[emilyb]

I am wondering if anyone is familiar with the Junkfood science blog by Sandy Swzarc. She is a great writer and I have read some terrific stuff on there, but I am starting to question some of it and would like other readers' feedback. A recent issue of Scientific American contradicts her views on the the dangers of obesity (to oversimplify, she doesn't seem to think the evidence supports 'the dangers of obesity', while Sci Am does). Also, the link to Steven Milloy's junkscience.com makes me question....
So any opinions? Junkfood science blog: credible science, libertarian propaganda, or some of both?

 

[Dr. Imago]

All I can say is, through my vast empiric observations, that thin, healthy, non-smokers generally do not end up in the hospital, and when they do (for whatever reason... trauma, emergency surgery [appendicitis, etc.]) they generally fare a lot better with shorter recovery times and less complications.

-Dr. Imago

 

[casebro]

Skeptic that I am, I've started to use to Statin drug studies as my standard for comparison.

Statins seem to take 200 patient years of treatment to extend life for ONE patient year. Thats a 30% improvement in the death rate. Practically useless, for any particular patient.

SOoo, if skinnyness reduces the death rate by 30%.....

If teatotalling reduces the death rate by 30%.....

If veggies reduces the death rate by 30%.....


Plus, there is NO study that follows a large group of obese people who lost weight, comparing long term health, to a control group who did not. No study of whether weight loss helps, only that being heavy hurts. Why no study? It's just too difficult to find a group of people who have actually lost weight. There is only a 2% success rate, defined as a 10% loss, kept off for 2 years.

My personal hypothesis? Obesity is a symptom of other health problems, not the disease. Healthy people are slim, fat people are sick. Much confounding. One possibly disease, something like sub-clinical allergies? Is that too woo? I've lost 30 pounds since I cut wheat from my diet. But the allergist said no antibodies in my blood, after being wheat free for 5 weeks.


I wonder... Mediterranean diet- lower in wheat? French Paradox- lower in wheat? Any studies out there comparing wheat consumption to life span?