My dad was one who spoke of "moderation in all things". Although, I'm not sure that I would say he was moderate about it. But this guy would have had a lot in common with my dad. . . .
Jolley: This Just In – Food Kills
What an interesting week for those of us who eat. First, we get this – “Meat Intake and Mortality, A Prospective Study of Over Half a Million People, Archives of Internal Medicine, Mar 23, 2009.”
Its conclusion? "Red and processed meat intakes were associated with modest increases in total mortality, cancer mortality, and cardiovascular disease mortality."
I know what most of you are saying. “What, again?” “Seen it before.” “Same old same old.” “Yeah, whatever.”
Then, for those who actually pay attention to such stuff and nonsense, we got this interesting bit of semi-science:
“Although adolescent and young adult vegetarians may eat a healthier diet, there is some evidence that they may be at increased risk for disordered eating behaviors. In a study published in the April 2009 issue of the Journal of the American Dietetic Association, researchers observed that adolescent and young adult vegetarians may experience the health benefits associated with increased fruit and vegetable intake and young adults may experience the added benefit of decreased risk for overweight and obesity. However, current vegetarians may be at increased risk for binge eating, while former vegetarians may be at increased risk for extreme unhealthful weight control behaviors.”
In other words, if you eat meat, you might die sooner than you really want to from some nasty little cancer. If you’re a vegetarian, you’re faced with either that old binge/purge curse associated with super models or you might just binge – no purge – until you get too fat to survive. You’ll die of a stroke or heart attack and you’ll have to be carried to your final resting place in the back of an overloaded Hummer or a Ford F 450 with the big 6.4 liter turbo diesel and heavyweight tow package.
Following up on the anti-meat study, the usual suspects trotted out the usual comments. The AMI, NCBA, et al quickly questioned the science behind the meat study. It’s just what they do when these studies surface. I’m not sure if they even read them. AMI’s CEO J. Patrick Boyle merely instructs his staff to dust off press release #1034 and send it out again.
Following up on the vegetarian study, no usual suspects said anything. I didn’t hear a peep from the American Vegetarian Association or the HSUS’s Wayne Pacelle. Many of those ink-stained wretches in what’s left of the newspaper business hopped all over the meat study and ignored the veggie study. Strange that the results of one of the research projects was considered more newsworthy than the other.
The half million people in the meat study were more likely to be overweight smokers whose physical activity was limited to a nightly work out with the remote control. So, was the true cause behind the little spike in cancer among meat-eaters caused by eating beef and pork or because too many of the study subjects were rotund suckers of cancer sticks?
The authors made this statement: "For overall mortality, 11% of deaths in men and 16% of deaths in women could be prevented if people decreased their red meat consumption to the level of intake in the first quintile." (Women could experience an even greater 21% decrease in mortality from heart disease by cutting back.)
Those eating disorder problems found among vegetarians? As a devout meat eater, I find most people who shun meat to be a little strange, anyway. Their dietary disorders are mental aberrations that often can be cured with a little psychiatric care.
Bottom line: I’ve been around long enough to understand that these truths are even more self-evident than life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.
Eating causes death. In fact 100% of all people who eat eventually die.
Not eating causes death. 100% of people who don’t eat quickly die.
Eating certain foods increases your chances of dying from certain diseases.
Eating those same foods decreases your chances of dying from other diseases.
Moderation in all things is probably a damn good idea.
Comments: [email protected]
Jolley: This Just In – Food Kills
What an interesting week for those of us who eat. First, we get this – “Meat Intake and Mortality, A Prospective Study of Over Half a Million People, Archives of Internal Medicine, Mar 23, 2009.”
Its conclusion? "Red and processed meat intakes were associated with modest increases in total mortality, cancer mortality, and cardiovascular disease mortality."
I know what most of you are saying. “What, again?” “Seen it before.” “Same old same old.” “Yeah, whatever.”
Then, for those who actually pay attention to such stuff and nonsense, we got this interesting bit of semi-science:
“Although adolescent and young adult vegetarians may eat a healthier diet, there is some evidence that they may be at increased risk for disordered eating behaviors. In a study published in the April 2009 issue of the Journal of the American Dietetic Association, researchers observed that adolescent and young adult vegetarians may experience the health benefits associated with increased fruit and vegetable intake and young adults may experience the added benefit of decreased risk for overweight and obesity. However, current vegetarians may be at increased risk for binge eating, while former vegetarians may be at increased risk for extreme unhealthful weight control behaviors.”
In other words, if you eat meat, you might die sooner than you really want to from some nasty little cancer. If you’re a vegetarian, you’re faced with either that old binge/purge curse associated with super models or you might just binge – no purge – until you get too fat to survive. You’ll die of a stroke or heart attack and you’ll have to be carried to your final resting place in the back of an overloaded Hummer or a Ford F 450 with the big 6.4 liter turbo diesel and heavyweight tow package.
Following up on the anti-meat study, the usual suspects trotted out the usual comments. The AMI, NCBA, et al quickly questioned the science behind the meat study. It’s just what they do when these studies surface. I’m not sure if they even read them. AMI’s CEO J. Patrick Boyle merely instructs his staff to dust off press release #1034 and send it out again.
Following up on the vegetarian study, no usual suspects said anything. I didn’t hear a peep from the American Vegetarian Association or the HSUS’s Wayne Pacelle. Many of those ink-stained wretches in what’s left of the newspaper business hopped all over the meat study and ignored the veggie study. Strange that the results of one of the research projects was considered more newsworthy than the other.
The half million people in the meat study were more likely to be overweight smokers whose physical activity was limited to a nightly work out with the remote control. So, was the true cause behind the little spike in cancer among meat-eaters caused by eating beef and pork or because too many of the study subjects were rotund suckers of cancer sticks?
The authors made this statement: "For overall mortality, 11% of deaths in men and 16% of deaths in women could be prevented if people decreased their red meat consumption to the level of intake in the first quintile." (Women could experience an even greater 21% decrease in mortality from heart disease by cutting back.)
Those eating disorder problems found among vegetarians? As a devout meat eater, I find most people who shun meat to be a little strange, anyway. Their dietary disorders are mental aberrations that often can be cured with a little psychiatric care.
Bottom line: I’ve been around long enough to understand that these truths are even more self-evident than life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.
Eating causes death. In fact 100% of all people who eat eventually die.
Not eating causes death. 100% of people who don’t eat quickly die.
Eating certain foods increases your chances of dying from certain diseases.
Eating those same foods decreases your chances of dying from other diseases.
Moderation in all things is probably a damn good idea.
Comments: [email protected]