Everyone's heard that saturated fat raises cholesterol, which causes atherosclerosis, which in turn leads to heart attacks. That's the diet-heart thesis. But just because the diet-heart thesis has been repeated ad nauseum doesn't make it true. Uffe Ravnskov effectively destroys the basis of the diet-heart idea and exposes the consequences of this dangerous myth.

Ravnskov not only presents solid evidence against the diet-heart myth, but he also explains why the cholesterol caper has hung on for so long and why combatting it is necessary. He details how scientific fraud (especially in the form of misquoting dissenting research), the interests of big pharma, health promotion organizations with their credibility on the line in the cholesterol issue, and the food industry perpetuate junk science on cholesterol and heart disease. Furthermore, Ravnskov makes a strong case for a reasoned examination of the evidence on cholesterol, pointing to the anxiety, the consumption of potentially harmful drugs, the waste of money, and the neglect of nutritious, enjoyable foods that result from erroneous beliefs about cholesterol.

This is a minor criticism, but I would have liked to have seen even more discussion of the social and economic factors underlying cholesterol phobia.

This book made me want to take action and provide resources for people who want to examine cholesterol issues beyond the drivel of hysterical headlines. Frankly, I knew the diet-heart thesis had more holes than swiss cheese before I ever picked up Ravnskov's book because there are good arguments to this effect from many other sources. However, I see Ravnskov's book as very worth promoting for its accessibility to non-experts and for its comprehensiveness.

I'm angry ... but not at Ravnskov. I feel angry at those who have foisted this deception upon an anxious public. To the consequences of the cholesterol fallacy I would like to add the following: distraction. Our cholesterol worries are just one part of a whole complex of misguided hypochondria that we muddle about in, wasting time and money, while our brothers and sisters die for lack of clean water and immunizations.

Uffe Ravnskov is obviously a man of great courage and persistence. He has suffered much ridicule within the medical profession for speaking out.

All honest physicians, nutritionists, and health educators should read this book and consider Ravnskov's perspective, no matter how threatening they might find it initially. Students of medical sociology may gain insight from this book into how consensus is manufactured in the health promotion sphere.

Even if you don't choose to purchase Ravnskov's book, consider examining a less detailed version of his work at his homepage:



http://www.ravnskov.nu/cholesterol.htm



Another valuable resource is THINCS, The International Network of Cholesterol Skeptics:



http://www.thincs.org

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Created Jun 28, 2003 at 11:45pm • Submit your own review...