This was some years ago now, but I saw the PI of the Nurses's Health Study [0] (I don't remember if it was Speizer or Willett; probably Willet) give a talk at Harvard. This was just after I read The China Study [1] -- a book recommended by Prevent and Reverse Heart Disease, which was given to participants of this study. The recommendations of the NHS [2] seem to disagree with the more extreme diets of TCS and this study. I asked about this in the Q&A. The speaker dismissed TCS, saying that the their data did not in fact support their conclusions. It seems Willett and Campbell have had an ongoing exchange [3] in the literature.
[2] "A Mediterranean-type diet reduces risk of incident CHD and stroke. Fish intake reduces risk of stroke. Nut and wholegrain consumption reduces risk of CHD. Refined carbohydrates and trans fats increase risk.", see:
I'm surprised they excluded nuts, and avacados? I guess
they wanted a diet of zero fats? When I was younger I had
and extreme fear of my clogging up my arteries. I ate a
normal diet, but no processed food, and no sugar.(I was so
young I didn't know about fructose, etc.). I just really
vigilant about sugar. I got my cholesterol down to 120.
Yes, it's antidotal, but my doctor was surprised. I wish
I wish I stayed on that diet! One other antidotal story.
My best friend smoked three packs of cigarettes a day(12 to 70 years) and
at least a pot of coffee. Everyone told him his arteries
are probably partially occluded. Well he went in for extensive
tests, and he had no plaque build up. We were all surprised.
I think what saved him is he only ate one meal a day? He
died at 71 because of COPD, but he was functional up to 70.
I pass this along to the Smokers who can't stop. Everyday,
people told him he would get cancer, or heart disease--he got neither. I'm not condoning smoking, but in think calorie restriction might save your life if you just won't/can't quit? When he finally quit at 70, he said I was
much easier than he thought, and comparing it to quitting
Heroin was ridiculous. And I know--it's antidotal, and his
experience does not come close to a double blind study.
edit: Here are two critiques of The China Study: http://www.cholesterol-and-health.com/China-Study.html http://rawfoodsos.com/2010/07/07/the-china-study-fact-or-fal...
I'd be quite interested if and how these criticisms of The China Study apply to this study.
[0] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nurses%27_Health_Study
[1] http://www.amazon.com/The-China-Study-Comprehensive-Implicat...
[2] "A Mediterranean-type diet reduces risk of incident CHD and stroke. Fish intake reduces risk of stroke. Nut and wholegrain consumption reduces risk of CHD. Refined carbohydrates and trans fats increase risk.", see:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nurses%27_Health_Study
[3] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_China_Study#Reception