Linda Gardner's Blog: New Study Claims Paleo Diet Causes Diabetes and Obesity, for People Who Are Mice

Get ready for another absurd health warning in the media. Possibly the silliest one in years. A new study allegedly shows that the Paleo diet can cause obesity and diabetes – in just eight weeks!

This turned into a media frenzy:

Science Daily: Paleo Diet Is Dangerous, Increases Weight Gain, Diabetes Expert Warns
The World Today: Can Paleo Make You Fat?
Sydney Morning Herald: Celebrity Chef Pete Evans Mocks Study Showing Paleo Diet Could Make You Fat
Nutrition and Diabetes: A Low-Carbohydrate High-Fat Diet Increases Weight Gain and Does Not Improve Glucose Tolerance, Insulin Secretion or β-Cell Mass in NZO Mice

The lead author, Associate Prof Sof Andrikopoulos, allegedly says this means people should avoid low-carb and high-fat Paleo diets, especially people who are overweight and sedentary. They might suffer “extreme weight gain”.

He goes on to say that there is “no scientific evidence” that low-carb high-fat diets work, meaning he’s not aware of at least 19 high quality studies (RCTs) in humans showing that low carb diets not only work, but that they work significantly better than other diets.

I mention that these studies on low carb are done in humans, because Andrikopoulos’ study is not. His study is done on mice. A species well known not to be adapted to a high-fat diet.

It is not news that mice can get fat by eating fat. It is also a well-known fact that humans instead tend to lose weight on a low-carb high-fat diet.

It’s been years since I’ve heard any researcher saying such clueless things in the media. The whole affair – especially Andrikopoulos’ statements – is so absurd it left me wondering if it was April 1.

PS

In other news researchers are now claiming that people could die if they eat regular food from the grocery store. People can only eat plankton. They found this out by studying… you guessed it… whales.

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