Re: Whole dietary patterns vs. reductionist approach

From: Jay Tanzman (jtanzman_at_sph.llu.edu)
Date: 07/30/04 

Date: Thu, 29 Jul 2004 19:37:22 -0700

Jan wrote:

> So, we should rather focus on the research of complete dietary
> patterns, which is a way to get a very good overall picture about a
> healthy diet.

Since such an analysis _only_ gives you the overall picture, it cannot
substitute for research on individual foods and nutrients. However, it is
useful both as an exploratory tool as well as a means to confirm that the
so-called reductionist research is valid.

> This is a way to get a solid basis on which you can
> build on. Fortunately there are already results of this kind of
> research. It has been found from the Nurses' Health Study and the
> Health Professionals' Follow-up Study that the prudent dietary pattern
> is characterized by vegetables, fruit, legumes, whole grain, fish or
> omega-3 oils and olive oil. The western dietary pattern, which
> shortens life and increases the risk of heart disease, consists of
> meat, processed meat, refined grains, full fat dairy, butter and
> potatoes.

Which _confirms_ the results of the so-called reductionist studies, but that's
about as far as you can go with it.

-Jay