The health argument?

What do you think about this article?





More here- http://www.veganoutreach.org/articles/healthargument.html





"The effects of animal products on risk of chronic diseases are an area of considerable controversy. ... [I]international correlations between per capita food consumption and disease rates are seriously confounded by other lifestyle factors associated with economic affluence. ... One of the most comprehensive correlational studies conducted within a country is the China-Oxford-Cornell study.... These correlations, although informative and valuable in many ways, cannot be used to establish causal relationships between dietary factors and disease risk. The limitations of geographical correlations were precisely stated by Drs Doll and Peto:





Trustworthy epidemiological evidence, it should be noted, always requires demonstration that a relationship holds for individuals (or perhaps small groups) within a large population as well as between large population groups. Correlation between the incidence of cancer in whole towns or whole countri|||i think it's as valid as the statement: people who eat ice cream are more likely to drown.





linking two seemingly similar items doesn't always make a valid argument. people eat ice cream in the summer, more people swim in the summer, both true statements. just because they eat ice cream does not mean they are more likely to drown.





long time ago (like my grandparent), folks worked hard. they ate fatty foods, fried foods, meat, eggs, veggies... and they didn't have an obesity problem (or all the health issues related to obesity such as cancer, heart disease, etc.) Additionally, the meats folks ate back then were not poked and processed with steriods, antibiotics, etc.. obesity is because people these days don't work hard or exercise (laziness).





a solution to obesity is eliminating animal fats (i.e., becoming a vegan), although it is one method of diet modification. the vegan lifestyle should not be pushed onto folks who enjoy eating meat. one can eat meat and be healthy.





a healthy diet is all about portion size... and eating a balanced diet! (not a plate of fried chicken and pork BBQ, better eat a small piece of grilled chicken and 2 veggies!). additionally, it is important to buy organic and non-processed foods, and cooking all your meals at home!|||Reader's Digest version: we don't know much about diet as it relates to health.





My take: absolutely, and it's high time someone authoritative chimed in about it.





I am entirely distrustful of any dietary claims. Well, not any--in general I guess it's acceptable that moderation and a full range of nutrients are essential.





But I've seen people jerked from one moronic dietary recommendation to another. Meat is the foundation of your diet--oh wait, vegetarianism is better. Heart patients should use margarine--oh wait, that's all transfats and they're worse than butter. Eat lots of (depending on what year is it) meat, carbohydrates, complex carbohydrates, fiber, meat and fat, fruits and vegetables, green and red stuff, blah blah blah. Also avoid each of the above.





One day, dieticians may get off their collective tochus and do some reliable research. Until then, I'm eating a good variety of whole foods, working toward moderation, hoping for the best, and being modest enough to avoid criticising any but the most obviously harmful dietary choices.|||On a side note, vegetarians and vegans get a lot more produce than omnivores which would obviously improve health. Vegans especially rely on nutrient rich, low-calorie fruits and vegetables.





There's also the weight advantage. Some people do gain weight when they become vegetarians which I think is due to a misguided attempt to replace meats with high-calorie, meat-like products, a lot of times made with calorie-rich nuts. For the most part, people can control their weights more with meat-free diets, especially vegans. When I was transitioning, I ate a raw vegan diet (it was laziness really, not a conscious effort) and lost weight without trying. I was also eating more than ever. I never felt deprived. I was never hungry and I lost weight. I should probably preface that by saying that I didn't eat nuts or avocados, so proceed with caution.|||My view is that these studies were not conducted in a controlled basis. It is based of random information and not that of studies in which the diet was controlled. Yes, you can eat meat and not get heart disease but the consumption does put you into a higher risk category. Most likely these studies were conducted by average people who ate small to moderate amounts of meat and not those who consume it with almost every meal. Simply put if you base a theory off wheather a person eats meat or not and do not conrol the amount of meat consumed the study is no longer valid.