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The idea that eating fat leads to higher body fat is the most dangerously-wrong health misconception in history.

_heimdall 3y ago
We've probably done more harm with the similar, and also incorrect, assumption that eating more saturated fats go directly to the blood and clog arteries.
- antiframe 3y ago
  Can you point to some evidence that increased saturated fat consumption does not increase LDL? Or that there is no link between serum LDL levels and plaque build up? Or are you making a different claim?
  - _heimdall 3y ago
    Dr Michael Eades is a good gateway toif you're interested. He wrote a book a while ago now titled Protein Power [1], I think he is working on an update/sequel as well. At the high level, my basic claim is that the idea that dietary saturated fat directly leads to heart attack is incorrect. The history of this claim dates back to President Eisenhower. After having a heart attack while in office he wanted to tell the public how he could avoid the same fate. Researchers cut corners to meet political targets, ignoring data that disproved their hypothesis and claimed that plaque found in cadaver arteries was made of saturated fats and that it got there due to the person's diet. The claims weren't backed up by the studies used and we were told that this was now a known fact when it wasn't. We've spent many decades since avoiding saturated fats in favor of unsaturated fats, which are highly oxidative and have concerning side effects when run through the Krebs Cycle. Dr Eades also has a few interesting talks on the subject when he walks through the Krebs Cycle and the difference of saturated and unsaturated fats in case that's helpful. I think [2] is one I watch years ago, though he has other similar talks on YouTube as well. [1] https://proteinpower.com/ https://proteinpower.com/ [2] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7MTNJNAZPiw https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7MTNJNAZPiw
MichaelRo 3y ago
>> The idea that eating fat leads to higher body fat is the most dangerously-wrong health misconception in history. Modern equivalent of medieval leeches and enemas for "fever" (almost anything was called a 'fever' back then) and eating goat testicles for potency. Eating them raw obviously :)
- m4x 3y ago
  Medical leeches are still very much a thing. They’re used to help improve venous circulation after plastic surgery around reattached body parts, help with burn recovery, etc
iforgotpassword 3y ago
Honest question: how? I've never seen anyone who's obese and having a diet that made me go "huh that's odd how can they be obese?" While the inverse occasionally has been true, generally people who I consider in good shape appear to eat less, and less greasy food. So while there might be exceptions it seems to be a damn good rule of thumb to me.
- jcul 3y ago
  Just guessing as to the parent comments meaning. But I suppose that plenty of fats are healthy and part of a balanced diet. And someone who eats nothing but refined sugar is more likely to be over weight that someone with a high % of fat in their diet.
  - Hedepig 3y ago
    I think you're right The danger is two fold 1. People don't eat fatty foods which have solid evidence for their benefits (e.g. Virgin olive oil) 2. People substitute the lack of fats with sugar, which I believe (not an expert) has a lot literature linking it with obesity
- brettv2 3y ago
  > I've never seen anyone who's obese and having a diet that made me go "huh that's odd how can they be obese?" Your question isn't refuting OPs claim: the people you are observing to be fat are fat because of their carb/sugar intake, not fat. i.e. if you just fed someone large amounts of protein and fat they would be lean; it is the sugar and carbs that make them fat.
  - jlhf 3y ago
    No they wouldn’t stay lean. If you fed someone more calories than their body uses to maintain its current weight, they would get fat eventually. Regardless of whether they eat carbs, fat or protein.
    - kuschkufan 3y ago
ajdude 3y ago
There are exceptions, I have the APOE 4/4 variant gene which results in my metabolism not dealing with saturated fat as well, and eating saturated fat does end up raising my bad cholesterol among a bunch of other terrible side effects perhaps not coincidentally, this variant also comes with a higher risk of Alzheimer's disease

We've probably done more harm with the similar, and also incorrect, assumption that eating more saturated fats go directly to the blood and clog arteries.

antiframe 3y ago
Can you point to some evidence that increased saturated fat consumption does not increase LDL? Or that there is no link between serum LDL levels and plaque build up? Or are you making a different claim?
- _heimdall 3y ago
  Dr Michael Eades is a good gateway toif you're interested. He wrote a book a while ago now titled Protein Power [1], I think he is working on an update/sequel as well. At the high level, my basic claim is that the idea that dietary saturated fat directly leads to heart attack is incorrect. The history of this claim dates back to President Eisenhower. After having a heart attack while in office he wanted to tell the public how he could avoid the same fate. Researchers cut corners to meet political targets, ignoring data that disproved their hypothesis and claimed that plaque found in cadaver arteries was made of saturated fats and that it got there due to the person's diet. The claims weren't backed up by the studies used and we were told that this was now a known fact when it wasn't. We've spent many decades since avoiding saturated fats in favor of unsaturated fats, which are highly oxidative and have concerning side effects when run through the Krebs Cycle. Dr Eades also has a few interesting talks on the subject when he walks through the Krebs Cycle and the difference of saturated and unsaturated fats in case that's helpful. I think [2] is one I watch years ago, though he has other similar talks on YouTube as well. [1] https://proteinpower.com/ https://proteinpower.com/ [2] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7MTNJNAZPiw https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7MTNJNAZPiw

MichaelRo 3y ago

>> The idea that eating fat leads to higher body fat is the most dangerously-wrong health misconception in history. Modern equivalent of medieval leeches and enemas for "fever" (almost anything was called a 'fever' back then) and eating goat testicles for potency. Eating them raw obviously :)

m4x 3y ago
Medical leeches are still very much a thing. They’re used to help improve venous circulation after plastic surgery around reattached body parts, help with burn recovery, etc

iforgotpassword 3y ago

Honest question: how? I've never seen anyone who's obese and having a diet that made me go "huh that's odd how can they be obese?" While the inverse occasionally has been true, generally people who I consider in good shape appear to eat less, and less greasy food. So while there might be exceptions it seems to be a damn good rule of thumb to me.

jcul 3y ago
Just guessing as to the parent comments meaning. But I suppose that plenty of fats are healthy and part of a balanced diet. And someone who eats nothing but refined sugar is more likely to be over weight that someone with a high % of fat in their diet.
- Hedepig 3y ago
  I think you're right The danger is two fold 1. People don't eat fatty foods which have solid evidence for their benefits (e.g. Virgin olive oil) 2. People substitute the lack of fats with sugar, which I believe (not an expert) has a lot literature linking it with obesity
brettv2 3y ago
> I've never seen anyone who's obese and having a diet that made me go "huh that's odd how can they be obese?" Your question isn't refuting OPs claim: the people you are observing to be fat are fat because of their carb/sugar intake, not fat. i.e. if you just fed someone large amounts of protein and fat they would be lean; it is the sugar and carbs that make them fat.
- jlhf 3y ago
  No they wouldn’t stay lean. If you fed someone more calories than their body uses to maintain its current weight, they would get fat eventually. Regardless of whether they eat carbs, fat or protein.
  - kuschkufan 3y ago

ajdude 3y ago

There are exceptions, I have the APOE 4/4 variant gene which results in my metabolism not dealing with saturated fat as well, and eating saturated fat does end up raising my bad cholesterol among a bunch of other terrible side effects perhaps not coincidentally, this variant also comes with a higher risk of Alzheimer's disease