This might be one of the very worst ways to try and lose weight
WHO let this dog out
If you’re planning a weight-loss regimen after the holidays, here’s a tip… Please ignore the last really awful study of 2012.
How awful is it? It’s delusional. Seriously. But major news outlets are playing right along, writing up the results as if they were offering landmark guidelines, etched in stone for the ages.
That’s no exaggeration. The World Health Organization commissioned the study. And apparently the results may become part of WHO’s global recommendations.
It’s madness! And even worse — anyone who uses this study as a dietary guide might be in for trouble.
Reinventing a dangerous myth
It’s easy to sum up the results of the WHO study… Reduce fat intake and you’ll lose weight. And an added bonus: You’ll also reduce waist circumference.
That’s it. Beautiful, isn’t it? Effortless. Effective. Endorsed by the World Health Organization. You can’t go wrong!
Here’s how Reuters headlined the good news… “Forget diets. Cutting down on fat will keep you slim.”
Slim? Really? Okay. Let’s look at three glaring weaknesses of the study. We’ll get back to the “slim” claim in a moment.
ONE: It was a meta-analysis of 33 studies. That’s WAY too many studies. It means the WHO team tried to boil down different methods, designs, measures, etc., to get one result. It’s like comparing apples to oranges to figs to asparagus to pomegranates. It’s too much. As Dr. Spreen has explained, the more studies in a meta-analysis, the less reliable the results.
TWO: Not even one of the 33 studies was designed to measure weight loss. So from study to study, we have no idea how diligent researchers were about weigh-ins.
THREE: The WHO researchers focused on total fat intake. They made no distinction between (for instance) fat from extra virgin olive oil on salads and fat in French fries.
But even with those three glaring weaknesses, the lowest point of the study comes at the end. Because the results are laughable.
Weight loss? Over a period of six months to a year, average weight loss was about 3.5 pounds. That’s it! That’s what all the fuss is about!
And average waist circumference reduction was next to nothing. Just 1/8th of an inch!
Now, let’s go back to the promise in the Reuter’s headline… “Cutting down on fat will keep you slim.”
Slim? It’s ludicrous. And the study results DO NOT indicate that lowering fats will “keep you slim” over the long haul. In fact, in the low fat groups, sugar intake “seemed to be higher.”
Riiight. I’m sure THAT dietary trend will end well.
The worst part is that the study promotes the absurd myth that fats are bad. If you cut down on good fats (like omega-3s), your body will metabolize fat-soluble vitamins less effectively. Reduce absorption of A, D, E, and K, and you’re in trouble.
I can’t believe WHO officials are incorporating this la-de-da level of research into their dietary guidelines.
It’s a new low. Even for WHO.
Sources:
“Effect of reducing total fat intake on body weight: systematic review and meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials and cohort studies” British Medical Journal, Vol. 345, 12/6/12, bmj.com
“Forget diets. Cutting down on fat will keep you slim” Reuters, 12/6/12, reuters.com
“Lose weight without eating less — just cut down on fat” Julia Brown, New Scientist, 12/7/12, newscientist.com
