3 ms·

Nutrition. A lot of this might just be meta-research, but I feel like we still don't really understand what an optimal diet looks like, and if optimal diet migh

by lhh 11y ago

Nutrition. A lot of this might just be meta-research, but I feel like we still don't really understand what an optimal diet looks like, and if optimal diet might differ from person to person. We learn more every day about how big of a factor it is in disease processes, especially the two biggest ones in the US - heart disease and cancer. I think preventive care in general is a great area to dive into, and this seems like a good place to start.

peteretep 11y ago
Not only that, it's hard to think of an area with quite so much "common sense" and "bro science", but also an area that should be so easy to research. Take people away on a residential and you can control exactly what they eat, their exercise etc. One of the nice things is that it'd be hard for anyone to patent findings either (I imagine). If I ever have enough money to dabble in my own research, it'll be there. How great would it be to be able to distribute nutritional advice to the world that was actually true, rather than whatever fad diets are being dreamt up or common-sense "wisdom" is being passed down.
- sandGorgon 11y ago
  Agree on this. Especially research on Soylent like nutrition products for third world countries. Or the cheapest way to build muscle. Or a Crossfit alternative that's free and does not need equipment.
  - peteretep 11y ago
    CrossFit is already free - they've been posting the WOD on their blog for free since forever. You could just take their body weight exercises and pick one randomly every day and you'd be doing CrossFit.
    - sandGorgon 11y ago
      hence the research. Yes - I have been following people like Layne Norton, Lyle Macdonald, etc. for years. And Crossfit has a huge number of critics for its program. It would be see results of research on a safer, better program/diet.
      - DrScump 11y ago
        But even people who read research diligently (like Lyle) are only as informed as the research is accurate. Look back to what Lyle was writing 16 years ago (strict caloric arithmetic, the discovery of leptin will make dietary obsessions obsolete, microbiome doesn't matter, etc.)
        sandGorgon 11y ago
        agreed - which is why I think YC should spend on fitness/nutrition research. I personally think this has the potential to be a moonshot - if an unbiased entity (with no ties to entrenched interests) would spend money on research.

by lhh 11y ago

peteretep 11y ago

Not only that, it's hard to think of an area with quite so much "common sense" and "bro science", but also an area that should be so easy to research. Take people away on a residential and you can control exactly what they eat, their exercise etc. One of the nice things is that it'd be hard for anyone to patent findings either (I imagine). If I ever have enough money to dabble in my own research, it'll be there. How great would it be to be able to distribute nutritional advice to the world that was actually true, rather than whatever fad diets are being dreamt up or common-sense "wisdom" is being passed down.

sandGorgon 11y ago
Agree on this. Especially research on Soylent like nutrition products for third world countries. Or the cheapest way to build muscle. Or a Crossfit alternative that's free and does not need equipment.
- peteretep 11y ago
  CrossFit is already free - they've been posting the WOD on their blog for free since forever. You could just take their body weight exercises and pick one randomly every day and you'd be doing CrossFit.
  - sandGorgon 11y ago
    hence the research. Yes - I have been following people like Layne Norton, Lyle Macdonald, etc. for years. And Crossfit has a huge number of critics for its program. It would be see results of research on a safer, better program/diet.
    - DrScump 11y ago
      But even people who read research diligently (like Lyle) are only as informed as the research is accurate. Look back to what Lyle was writing 16 years ago (strict caloric arithmetic, the discovery of leptin will make dietary obsessions obsolete, microbiome doesn't matter, etc.)
      - sandGorgon 11y ago
        agreed - which is why I think YC should spend on fitness/nutrition research. I personally think this has the potential to be a moonshot - if an unbiased entity (with no ties to entrenched interests) would spend money on research.