Stuff You Should Know The War on Fat: The Seven Countries Study
Jun 16, 2020
Dive into the fascinating flaws of the Seven Countries Study, which sparked the misguided 'War on Fat.' Discover how replacing dietary fats with artificial substitutes may have negatively impacted health. Enjoy humorous steakhouse anecdotes while also exploring diverse dietary habits and their health implications. The discussion critiques the study's methodology, questioning its conclusions on saturated fat and heart disease, ultimately calling for a more nuanced understanding of dietary fats.
AI Snips
Chapters
Books
Transcript
Episode notes
Ancel Keys' Contributions
- Ancel Keys, creator of the Seven Countries Study, invented K-rations for WWII soldiers.
- He also contributed to the Minnesota Starvation Experiment, which studied refeeding starved individuals.
Keys' Initial Hypothesis
- Ancel Keys' hypothesis was that high serum cholesterol increases heart attack risk.
- This was based on observations in Southern Italy, where heart disease was reportedly low.
Keys and Italy
- Keys visited Southern Italy, where a colleague claimed there was no heart disease, and fell in love with the region.
- He lived there until he was 101 and followed a Mediterranean diet.
