How Big Government Backed Bad Science Made Americans Fat

Q&A with journalist Nina Teicholz.
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"Government made a big mistake with the dietary guidelines," says Nina Teicholz, author of New York Times bestseller The Big Fat Surprise: Why Butter, Meat and Cheese Belong in a Healthy Diet. "Given the track record that they have so far, you can really make a plausible argument that they've done more harm than good."

Consumption of meat, butter, eggs, and cheese were once encouraged as part of a healthy diet. Then in the 1950s, a Minnesota doctor named Ancel Keys put forth his diet-heart hypothesis, claiming that saturated fats raise cholesterol levels and cause heart attacks.

Keys produced landmark studies of the relationship between diet and heart disease that transformed nutrition science. He became a powerful figure in the science community. Contemporaries who publicly questioned the validity of his findings risked losing their research funding or becoming pariahs. When the U.S. adopted dietary guidelines in 1980, Keys' recommendations became enshrined in national food policy.

"We have made our policy based upon this weak kind of science called epidemiology which shows association, but not causation," Teicholz explains. "We have the situation where we just cannot reverse out of these policies that were originally based on really weak science."

Keys' flawed research is one reason Americans have been getting fatter and unhealthier for decades. Despite major advances in treatment, heart disease is still the leading cause of death for men and women.

"The really dominant view is that the dietary guidelines are good...and the reason America is fat and sick is that America has failed to follow them," Teicholz says. "That's when you start looking at the data...By every food category you can find, we have faithfully, dutifully followed the guidelines."

Today the science behind Keys' dietary findings is once again being challenged. Teicholz has launched the Nutrition Coalition, which aims to inform food policy with rigorous science.

"Our goal is educate people about how the dietary guidelines have not been successful...and to bring this alternative policy viewpoint to policy makers," says Teicholz. "More and more experts are willing to talk out about the science, and I think that will support change."

Produced by Alexis Garcia. Camera by Jim Epstein.

Photo Credits: Tom Wallace/ZUMA Press/Newscom

[RussellChapman]

I've been to the USA 27 times. What I noticed was the sweetened bread, the processed cheese, and the general low level of the quality of food. The processed food did not sit well with me. I wonder if that is part of the reason why there is so much obesity.

[glmathgrant]

1954: Milk is about the most perfect food there is
2018: Milk is R A C I S T

[ACitizenOfOurWorld]

0:55 "Contemporaries who publicly questioned the validity of his findings risked losing their research funding"
That sounds familiar.

[mastring]

the explanation for the flip flopping headlines is "who's paying for the studies this time".

[beesbythesea]

At 63 years old I found myself slowly getting heavier and my BP was almost borderline hypertensive. Exercise did not seem to help. My doctor suggested stations to me at one point when my LDL was a little elevated along with my cholesterol. When I found out the side effects I said I will take my chaces. I found out about keto diet and investigated it online. I have never dieted before but the science behind this seemed plausible. With this and a moderate walking program I have lost 27 pounds, reduced my A1C and my blood pressure is 110/70. This happened over 3 months. Keto is not a diet but a normal way we should be eating. Carbohydrates are the enemy to good health not fat. I am never going back to the American diet and I am never going to listen to government scientists again.

[raedwulf]

Eat natural foods. Avoid sugar, corn syrups, margarines, etc.

[OnivertInHouston]

What I find amazing in America is that everyone talks about how we need free health insurance for everybody but everyone in America is fat and does not excersice. Diet and excersice is the BEST (and cheapest) health insurance you can have people!

[CyrusOfNaias]

Sugar is one of the biggest culprits. Combined with sedentary lifestyle.

[voswouter]

when you trust government things go horribly wrong.

[erikkovacs]

Newsflash: "Government screwed something up!"

[geoffreybrockmeier]

People need to stop pretending government
1 - Cares about your health.
2 - Cares about your freedom.
3 - Is competent at anything other than taking your money.
4 - Solves problems.

[MrGchiasson]

Remember the 80's...big push for 'Zero fat' foods...that had lots of sugar & carbs. Then in the 90's.., 'Zero sugar' foods.., that had lots of artificial sweeteners, fat & carbs...both were 'fat-bombs'.
( artificial sweeteners are not detected by receptors in the brain...so we eat more until we feel 'full'.)
The gov't takes money from the fast food industries and lies to us about nutrition. High fructose corn syrup is killing us.

[MrPeaceandLiberty]

"Was the government to prescribe to us our medicine and diet, our bodies would be in such keeping as our souls are now." ~ Thomas Jefferson, Notes on the State of Virginia

[taylorwest]

I went from 235 pounds to 190 pounds in around a year by cutting out as much sugar and carbs from my diet as possible and increasing my fat intake. Sugar makes you gain body fat and does not satiate. Dietary fat is not stored in your body, but is used for energy and makes you feel full.

[littlehomeinthevalley]

I've had three doctors (including my cardiologist) encourage me to continue my low carb diet. I asked, "Even if it's just protein and vegetables?"
Yup.
Doctors are catching on.

[ovrezy]

Pork has been absolutely ruined by the low fat guidelines.

[DahVoozel]

"How Big Business Bought Big Government to Promote Bad Science to Push Food Sales" There, I fixed your title.

[Johnrich]

Also, not only was keyes' research correlation, not causation, but he looked at 22 countries and selected 7 of them for his final conclusion. Had he selected a different 7 he could have shown the opposite correlation. That's not Science, it's BS.

My N=1 study was 3000+ calories/day with 1000-1500 of that from clean saturated fats, and I lost 40 lbs in 3 months. Had a doc run my cholestrol after, and it had improved.

The key distinction that I expect that she missed is the difference between grass-fed and grain-fed, the grain-fed will increase LDL.

[endlessnameless]

KETO diet and intermittent fasting. Give the government the finger. Reclaim your health.

[Firithfenion]

“The nine most terrifying words in the English language are ‘I’m from the government and I’m here to help.’” - Ronald Reagan