Scientific Battlegrounds in Diets

There's an interesting article currently carried by the NYTimes (free reg. yada yada) that talks about the world of dieting, National Institutes of Health, Atkins as well as low-carb vs low-fat. The interesting thing, from a scientific perspective, is the sheer lack of study - and the reticence from the scientific community to question the party line.

Comments

Dieting and eating contests

[Savatte]

On the theme of dieting, did anyone else see the hot dog eating contest this past fourth of july? The skinny Japanese dude schooled the Americans, downing 50.5 hot dogs AND buns in 12 minutes. The American guys outweighed him by at least 200 pounds, but this dude could pound those dogs down. It has something to do with the absence of layers of fat, which allows the stomach to expand more. Something to think about

Re:Dieting and eating contests

[Frothy Walrus]

Something to think about

yeah, the less we eat, the more we can eat! how are we gonna do that?!

Re:Dieting and eating contests

[Tablizer]

(* I am just guessing here, but the skinny Japanese guy might have some sort of 'training program' which involves drinking a lot of fluids or eating sugar-free jello to keep the stomach expanded while not gaining any weight. *)

Even being a glutton has been "Samurized" now?

"I shall be not just a pig, but an honorable pig that my ancestors will be proud of. They will belch from the afterlife in thunderous approval as my enemies puke in pain after glorious defeat. For I have the stomach of a bear and the mouth of a tiger!"

Can't wait for the asian entries in the farting contests. "The Eastern Wind shall blow such that there will be no denial...."

Get your facts straight

[mangu]

There was an article in Science magazine a few months ago about this. The main conclusion was that there are no truly "dangerous" foods. Food is not poisonous. The real problem is with people *not* getting the kinds of food they should eat, like green vegetables, for instance.

I particularly remember a comment that the most unhealthy diet in Europe was found in Scotland, where the only widely comsumed leafy vegetable was tobacco.

Re:Get your facts straight

[Anonymous Coward]

Yew kaen mod me dowun, but yew'll neva tek me Freedom!

Here's a diet you will love.

[mrseth]

I think it might even be legitimate. All you have to do is show this to your girlfriend (or boyfriend if you are that way). I think it is originally an article from the Boston Globe.

Re:The studies have been done.. by interested part

[Pig Hogger]

Are you an assron or a mohole?

That would be "assron", because you don't want to give Andrija Mohorovicic a bad rep...

(What does Andrija Mohorovicic has to do with "mohole"? Well, read this).

The evidence is all around...

[AJWM]

Ever see a fat carnivore?

Ever see a skinny cow? (Not counting desert-like lack of food conditions).

Carbs are what food eats...

(Okay, I'm slightly kidding. Humans are omnivores.)

Re:The studies have been done.. by interested part

[Serra]

A good rule of thumb is, if it's solid at room temperature, it will probably be solid in your arteries as well.

Uhm... only if you're a reptile.

Re:I've read The Zone, and Body For Life

[Anonymous Coward]

As for your claim that natural pesticides are worse then man made ones is just silly republican talk. Nobody actually believes that not even the republicans themselves. If you believe it then by all means ingest all the pesticides you want I wish you luck.

OK, let's test this... I'll eat some DDT and you can eat some deadly nightshade, and we'll see who lives longest ;-)

Beautiful Irony

[DoctaWatson]

Somewhere, a native american is laughing at us.