Proposed Canada Food Guide called „obesogenic”

Wayne Kondro

doi:10.1503/cmaj.060039

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The Fattening of the Food Guide
Eddie Vos

Posted on: 07 March 2006
A Flawed Prescription
Dr. Herbert H. Nehrlich

Posted on: 06 March 2006
Diet Controversy
Alfred C Ronald

Posted on: 02 March 2006

Posted on: (7 March 2006)

The Fattening of the Food Guide
Eddie Vos
The Canada Food Guide (1), under slow revision and fattening with input from commercial 'stake holders' may indeed remain 'obesogenic' as we face 2 main nutritional problems in Canada.
1. We are getting fatter from excess 'fast carbs', i.e. increasing glycemic index and load foods, a Canadian born concept. Our Guide should differentiate and promote whole grains [partially intact or 'lente carbs'] rather than food...
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The Canada Food Guide (1), under slow revision and fattening with input from commercial 'stake holders' may indeed remain 'obesogenic' as we face 2 main nutritional problems in Canada.
1. We are getting fatter from excess 'fast carbs', i.e. increasing glycemic index and load foods, a Canadian born concept. Our Guide should differentiate and promote whole grains [partially intact or 'lente carbs'] rather than foods made from whole grains, as many powderized and reconstituted breakfast cereals and breads are now claimed to be. When the grain kernel is left partially intact [some rye bread, semolina made pasta], the glucose and insulin triggering effect is much reduced and while of the same chemical composition, such products are more filling and less obesogenic.
2. We are not getting the micro or minor nutrients and it is here that the Harvard / Willett pyramid takes a brave step in suggesting "multiple vitamins for most" while relegating white or fast carbs to the use sparingly category while suggesting Whole Grain Foods (at most meals).(2)
Apart from relegating red meat and butter to the use sparingly category, where the Willett pyramid misses the science most is allowing low or no omega-3 oils (corn, sunflower, olive, peanut and 'other' vegetable oils) in the foundation of the pyramid while not stressing omega-3 oils such as (preferably) canola and (possibly) soybean oils. Arguably our own Canadian oil, canola, with ~10% omega-3 and relatively little omega-6 is the most life saving 'drug' ever tested to prevent second heart attacks, as per a landmark editorial by Harvard's Dr. Leaf(3). We have to lower the poly-unsaturates containing omega-6 since we've known since the Veterans Trial(4) that replacing meat, animal fats and butter with high omega-6 corn oil products may well promote cancer and certainly not save lives (also: ISSFAL's recommendations (5)).

Unless the Guide addresses these 2 concepts, of excess and deficiency, and it does not seem like it will, the obesity and micronutrient deficiency epidemics are likely to continue. Clearly commercial stake holders have no beneficial role in this process: they should be told what's healthy, not the reverse.
1. http://www.cmaj.ca/cgi/content/full/174/5/605
2. http://www.hsph.harvard.edu/now/aug24/
3. http://circ.ahajournals.org/cgi/content/full/99/6/733
4. Pearce ML, Dayton S. Incidence of cancer in men on a diet high in polyunsaturated fat. Lancet 1971 (7697):464-7 Medline 4100347
5. Recommendations for intake of polyunsaturated fatty acids in healthy adults. ISSFAL June 2004. http://www.issfal.org.uk/welcome/policystatement3.asp
Conflict of Interest:
None declared
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Competing Interests: None declared.
Posted on: (6 March 2006)

A Flawed Prescription
Dr. Herbert H. Nehrlich
I object to Alfred Ronald's prescription intended to facilitate a certain immunity to so many of our modern diseases.
"Least likely to cause..." are, (your order): Wholegrain cereals Vegetables and Fruits Animal Proteins mostly as poultry and fish Few eggs, dairy products....
All of this ought to be low fat and the fats used need to be liquid vegetable oils.......
A true recipe for disaster ! T...
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I object to Alfred Ronald's prescription intended to facilitate a certain immunity to so many of our modern diseases.
"Least likely to cause..." are, (your order): Wholegrain cereals Vegetables and Fruits Animal Proteins mostly as poultry and fish Few eggs, dairy products....
All of this ought to be low fat and the fats used need to be liquid vegetable oils.......
A true recipe for disaster ! The modern nutritional diseases, such as cancer, heart and blood vessel disease and diabetes, plus a host of other scourges are products of exactly the type of thinking that you have adopted. Low sugar, yes, Vegetables and fruits, yes, the rest is poppycock.
It is the departure from the traditional eating habits of our ancestors that has spawned the global dilemma of sickness.It is acceptable and expected that a large portion of people get sick. Often and/or permanently.
If you would take the time to read Dr. Weston Price's 1939 book called Nutrition And Physical Degeneration it is entirely possible that it would open your eyes.He knew then what kept people healthy. His book can be found in most medical/dental libraries, usually in mint condition. No one wants to know.
There is no cholesterol bogeyman. Animal fat is great and health- promoting and dairy can hardly be matched by other foods for nutrient density. Liquid vegetable oils promote melanoma and macular degeneration as well as cancer, cereals cause a host of problems in many susceptible individuals, such as Crohn's and other types of intestinal afflictions and eggs are probably the most nutritious food on the planet.
Modern food choices as well as production and processing methods have reduced nutrients drastically and created great imbalances in our systems, such as the omega-6 to omega-3 ratio.
If we wanted to be serious about reducing illness globally we would have to accept that the sickness industry is a cancer in itself and that it needs to be cut out.
There are efforts everywhere that strive to keep people healthy and prevent disease and premature death. These are mostly on a small scale and you would not find them listed under Lucrative Enterprises. People are helping themselves inspite of concerted efforts to limit access to vitamins and other tools that Big Pharma and Big Med have embraced.
Ronald's prescription is not likely to help anyone in their efforts to stay healthy.
Conflict of Interest:
None declared
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Competing Interests: None declared.
Posted on: (2 March 2006)

Diet Controversy
Alfred C Ronald
How far disease may be avoided by relatively simple modifications of the twentyfirst century diet is still a matter for debate. Fortunately there is less controversy about the sort of modification that is likely to be desirable.Whether the object is to avoid cancer,coronary artery disease,hypertension,diabetes diverticulitis duodenal ulcer or constipation, there is broad agreement that the type of diet that is least likel...
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How far disease may be avoided by relatively simple modifications of the twentyfirst century diet is still a matter for debate. Fortunately there is less controversy about the sort of modification that is likely to be desirable.Whether the object is to avoid cancer,coronary artery disease,hypertension,diabetes diverticulitis duodenal ulcer or constipation, there is broad agreement that the type of diet that is least likely to cause disease is one that provides a high proportion of calories in wholegrain cereals, vegetables and fruit; provides most of its animal protein in fish and poultry; limits the intake of fats, and if oils are to be used gives preference to liquid vegetable oils; includes very few dairy products,eggs, and little refined sugar; and is sufficiently restricted in amount not to cause obesity.
It is not for doctors or Ministries of Health to advise people to live their lives as invalids in order to die healthy. Fortunately, the type of diet here proposed could enhance the pleasure of eating, rather than the reverse
Conflict of Interest:
None declared
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Competing Interests: None declared.