Study Was 'Very Contentious', Figures 'Loosey-Goosey'

From: tcomeau (tunderbar_at_hotmail.com)
Date: 12/03/04 

Date: 3 Dec 2004 07:05:09 -0800

http://biz.yahoo.com/prnews/041129/dcmv001_1.html

More Errors in CDC Obesity Deaths Study Says Center for Consumer
Freedom
Monday November 29, 7:31 am ET
CDC's Own Researchers Said Internal Debate Over Obesity Study Was
'Very Contentious,' One Researcher Called Figures 'Loosey-Goosey'

WASHINGTON, Nov. 29 /PRNewswire/ -- A simple math error that led to a
gross overstatement by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
(CDC) of the number of obesity related deaths in the U.S. is just the
first of many flaws in the research, according to The Center for
Consumer Freedom. The erroneous study has led to unwarranted alarm
that obesity was set to surpass smoking as the number one preventable
cause of death and an overhyped frenzy among policymakers and the
media over the nation's so-called "obesity epidemic."

 
A May 2004 article in Science magazine captured initial criticism of
the study and highlighted disputes within the CDC that the data was
weak. One critic said the figures were "loosey-goosey." Several
epidemiologists at CDC and National Institutes of Health echoed this
concern but declined to go public. "I don't want to lose my job," one
CDC staffer told the Science reporter.

This week, the CDC came clean and admitted that their March study
suggesting that obesity caused 400,000 deaths each year was incorrect
and may have overestimated by as much as 20%. Beyond this error, an
analysis of the CDC's flawed study by The Center for Consumer Freedom
reveals that the data used to derive the 400,000 deaths figure was
based on an even more flawed procedure used in 1999 by Dr. David
Allison of the University of South Alabama. "We used the same
procedure reported by Allison et al. to estimate annual
overweight-attributable deaths," wrote the CDC's lead researcher.

Severe problems with the Allison study are alarming:

1.) Allison's original study falsely presumed that "all excess
mortality in obese people is due to obesity."

Due to the many factors that can influence mortality, Allison later
conceded that, "Our estimates may be biased toward higher numbers due
to confounding by unknown variables." A 1998 editorial in The New
England Journal of Medicine accentuates this point: "Mortality among
obese people may be misleadingly high because overweight people are
more likely to be sedentary and of low socio-economic status."

2.) CDC researchers urged caution in use of Allison's research and
said methods led to bias

In a study submitted to the American Journal of Public Health prior to
the 400,000 deaths study, a group of CDC researchers concluded: "Given
the present knowledge about the epidemiology of obesity, and
especially the impact of age on mortality risks associated with
obesity, it may be difficult to develop accurate and precise
estimates. We urge caution in the use of current estimates of the
number of deaths attributable to obesity."

A second study by an overlapping team of CDC researchers found that
Allison's original study overestimated the total number of deaths by
at least 17% -- and probably much more -- by not controlling for the
influence of either age or sex. Writing in the American Journal of
Epidemiology, they found: "Use of this [Allison's] approach is
contradicted by several published statistical papers, which show that
such an approach can lead to bias ... overestimation of deaths
attributable to overweight and obesity in the U.S. population is more
likely than underestimation."

3.) Allison relies on exceptionally outdated risk assessments, some
dating back to 1948

Both Allison's and the current CDC studies rely on risk assessments
based on six observational studies. The average start date of these
studies was 1963 and the average end date was 1983. Consequently, the
400,000 figure assumes that our ability to treat high blood pressure,
diabetes, heart disease, and other illnesses linked to obesity has not
improved in a generation. Allison admits this is a problem. "When most
of the cohort studies used were initiated," he writes, "there were
fewer intervention strategies to reduce risk factors associated with
obesity and fewer medical therapies for postponing death from
obesity-related diseases." Yet no adjustment was made.

"The problems with this study go well beyond the simple math errors
that the CDC admitted to," said Center for Consumer Freedom senior
analyst Dan Mindus. "Since the CDC knowingly used refuted research as
the basis for their false 400,000 figure, they have a public
obligation to go back to the drawing board. Policymakers, public
health groups and the media should immediately cease using this data
and stop the ridiculous claim that obesity-related deaths rival those
of smoking."

To view the report "An Epidemic of Obesity Myths," visit
http://www.ConsumerFreedom.com. The Center for Consumer Freedom is a
nonprofit coalition supported by restaurants, food companies, and
consumers, working together to promote personal responsibility and
protect consumer choices.

*********

Dr DB Allison. This *** finally got caught. Now, will they review
all his previous garbage science and deal with it appropriately? Not
likely.

Here are some studies he participated in, and some more info about
this idiot.

DB Allison

On kids, TV, and obesity: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entr-
ez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=11331684&do-
pt=Abstract

On cola: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Re-
trieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=11177105&dopt=Abstract

On behavior and obesity: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entre-
z/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=10992608&dop-
t=Abstract

"Do unsuccessful dieters intentionally underreport food
intake?" http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Re-
trieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=9741036&dopt=Abstract

"The search for human obesity genes." http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih-
.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=96037-
20&dopt=Abstract

On the accuracy of nutrition labels: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.-
gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=837144-
6&dopt=Abstract

Who is this guy? Here is a biographical sketch:

http://www.soph.uab.edu/statgenetics/People/DAllison/dall-
ison.html.

Quote:

"has been a member of the Board of Trustees for the
International Life Science Institute, North America, since
January 2002."

Here are the corporate sponsors of the ILSI of which he is a
member of the board of trustees.

http://www.ilsi.org/about/Assembly_of_Members.pdf

International Life Sciences Institute

http://www.cspinet.org/integrity/nonprofits/international_life_sciences_institute.html

His CV says he is a member of the Advisory Board of the
Partnership for the Promotion of Healthy Eating and Active
Lifestyles (PPHEAL). Here are their sponsors:

http://www.ppheal.org/our_sponsors.html

More copied and pasted from his CV:
**************************************************************
· Member of Scientific Advisory Board for NutriPharma, Inc.,
2000 – Present. · Consultant to Ortho-McNeil
Pharmaceuticals on the anit-obesity potential of their
compound Topiramate, February, 2002. · Consultant to Mitos,
Inc regarding the testing of novel anti-obesity compounds,
2000 - 2001. · Consultant to Archer, Daniels, Midland Company,
2002. · Consultant to Merck Pharmaceuticals regarding
measurement and design issues in obesity related clinical
trials, 2000. · Consultant to Millennium Pharmaceuticals
Incorporated on issues related to the genetic influences on
obesity, 1999 – 2001. · Consultant to AMGEN on issues
related to the clinical study of leptin as an anti-obesity
therapeutic, 1999. · Consultant to Regeneron Pharmaceuticals
on issues related to the treatment of human obesity, 1999. ·
Consultant to Fisons Corporation & Mediva Pharmaceuticals
regarding anti-obesity drug litigation, 1998.

· Consultant to Eli Lilly Pharmaceuticals on weight gain with
neuroleptic medication, 1997-Present. · Consultant to Pfizer
Central Research, Inc. on obesity related issues,
1997-Present. · Consultant to Proctor & Gamble regarding
olestra (Olean); 1998. · Consultant to Decision Resources on
the pharmacological treatment of obesity, October, 1999. ·
Member of "Panel of Evaluators" for Current Drugs
Ltd, a company that provides expert information on drugs under
research and development, 1998. · Consultant to Research
Testing Laboratories, Inc. regarding clinical trials of weight
loss products including nutraceuticals and herbal
preparations, 1996, 1999 - present. · Member of the
Nutritional Advisory Board for Nabisco, Inc., 1994 - 2000. ·
Member of the United Soybean Panel's Nutrition Advisory
Board, 1996
- Present. Chair of research grants committee, 1999 –
present. · Member of the Wheat Council's panel of
experts, 1998 – 2001. · Consultant to Knoll
Pharmaceuticals regarding issues in the pharmacological
treatment of obesity
- Sept, 1996; April, 1997. · Consultant to Corning HTA (for a
project sponsored by Wyeth Ayerst) regarding the economic
benefits of obesity treatment, 1996-1997. · Consultant to
the journal Patient Care on an article regarding the
pharmacological treatment of obesity, 1997. · Consultant to
Glaxo Pharmaceuticals regarding issues in the
pharmacological treatment of obesity - Sept, 1996.
*************************************************************-

Another industry shill that should be relegated to dishing out orders
of fries for a living.

TC

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