Saturday, February 11, 2012

Time to Stop Talking About Low-Fat, Say HSPH Nutrition Experts - HSPH In the Media - News at HSPH - Harvard School of Public Health


It is time to end the low-fat myth, Harvard School of Public Health (HSPH) nutrition experts told food industry leaders at the seventh annual World of Healthy Flavors Conference held in Napa, CA, from January 19 to 21, 2011. The conference, co-hosted by the Culinary Institute of America and HSPH, brings together nutrition researchers with representatives from schools, supermarkets, and food industry goliaths such as Burger King, The Olive Garden, and Panera Bread to share strategies for offering Americans healthier menu options.
HSPH nutrition department chair Walter Willett and associate professor of epidemiology Dariush Mozaffarian, along with Ron Krauss of Children's Hospital Oakland Research Institute, presented on the “Focus on Fat” panel. They encouraged audience members to avoid “low-fat” terminology and thinking, since diets low in fat are often high in sodium and carbohydrates from sources such as white flour and rice, refined snacks, and sugary drinks. Instead, the panelists said, chefs should focus on cutting trans fats from their menus and educating consumers about seeking out healthy fats.

Article Here

"Healthy fats" will be interesting to watch - are they still going to keep pimping "vegetable oils" (aka, chemically derived poly unsaturated fats, PUFAs, which are easily oxidized and STILL never proven beneficial)?  Or will they finally say it - "there's no reason to fear real saturated fat."

What's the next big "oops" going to be - when the Harvard folks also admit there's no issue with sodium consumption, there never has been, and they likely killed a bunch of folks sweating that bit of bad science also?

I'm glad that an organization with the influence that Harvard has continues to publicly push back against the low fat fad diets, but I wish they would be as disciplined about the other myths of the last 30 years. 

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