Here’s full list of countries for which data exists for both 1961 and 2007, percents are Paleolithic:Neolithic:Industrial by calories.
...
United States of America − 20.36%:50.72%:28.92% − 20.51%:43.43%:36.06%
That’s hard to read because the numbers are all squashed together in a line, so I will rewrite based on the description given:
In 1961, the United States diet was 20.36% Paleolithic, 50.72% Neolithic, and 28.92% Industrial.
In 2007, the United States diet was 20.51% Paleolithic, 43.43% Neolithic, and 36.06% Industrial.
The United States diet is probably what pertains to most readers of this forum, and it certainly is what is usually being talked about in the American media when the American media goes on about the obesity epidemic.
But the modern United States diet is not “a lot more Paleo”. That’s a wildly wrong summary of what the data shows. Rather, the modern diet is a lot more Industrial. Specifically, the modern diet has a lot more sweeteners and vegetable oils.
The summary “they’re wrong...modern diet is a lot more paleo...” creates the impression that we have largely taken paleo advice and have suffered greatly for it. But in the case of the United States, where the obesity epidemic is massive, that is simply not the case. The big change is in consuming more sweeteners and more vegetable oils—according to the data presented.
Moreover, my impression—confirmed when googling this—is that the warning against sweeteners and vegetable oils is an important part of the paleo critique of the modern diet. If you follow paleo advice, you will abandon sweeteners and vegetable oils.
So, the correlation does not “go the wrong way”, in the case of the United States. There are a lot of other countries listed there, but since I don’t know whether and how much they are subject to an obesity epidemic, I can’t make use of the data.
But the modern United States diet is not “a lot more Paleo”.
You’re wrong. 1961 USA was already quite far in its transition away from Neolithic food, it just takes time for such low-level damage to accumulate.
There’s little high quality world-wide data before 1961, but feel free to offer a bet about it if you doubt what it would reach.
Correlation goes the wrong way, just like I said.
In any case, obesity statistics are easily available for all countries, so I’m puzzled by your unwillingness to take a look.
Moreover, my impression—confirmed when googling this—is that the warning against sweeteners and vegetable oils is an important part of the paleo critique of the modern diet. If you follow paleo advice, you will abandon sweeteners and vegetable oils.
It’s not. Paleos bundle all non-Paleo foods as if they were pretty much the same. It’s about as useful as abstinence-only approach to safe sex.
No, paleo dieters don’t bundle all non-paleo foods. Almost all foods that can be bought in a store or farmers market has been altered in one way or another since the neolithic began. And most paleo dieters acknowledge this. The purpose is not to perfectly replicate the diet of a paleolithic human, in the fashion of a civil war reenactor, but to most closely mimic the profile of the diet humans evolved to eat.
Some factors in this are nutrient density, lower simple carbs, intermittent fasting, and ketosis. These have been shown in research to be beneficial. But of course, there is a lot of research that shows a diversity of results. The strongest evidence comes from studies of hunter-gatherers who mostly lack chronic diseases, and this forms a central basis of the paleo diet.
By the way, Americans ate more meat than bread prior to the 20th century. They also only ate a fraction of the sugar in the past. Yet many of the chronic diseases only became common in the 20th century. Heart disease was a rare disease in the early 20th century, but by the end of the century it was rampant.
And they’re wrong. Modern diet is a lot more paleo than diet before metabolic syndrome epidemic.
Strong correlation pointing the wrong way is a pretty good evidence for lack of causation.
Let me check this at the site. Quoting:
...
That’s hard to read because the numbers are all squashed together in a line, so I will rewrite based on the description given:
In 1961, the United States diet was 20.36% Paleolithic, 50.72% Neolithic, and 28.92% Industrial.
In 2007, the United States diet was 20.51% Paleolithic, 43.43% Neolithic, and 36.06% Industrial.
The United States diet is probably what pertains to most readers of this forum, and it certainly is what is usually being talked about in the American media when the American media goes on about the obesity epidemic.
But the modern United States diet is not “a lot more Paleo”. That’s a wildly wrong summary of what the data shows. Rather, the modern diet is a lot more Industrial. Specifically, the modern diet has a lot more sweeteners and vegetable oils.
The summary “they’re wrong...modern diet is a lot more paleo...” creates the impression that we have largely taken paleo advice and have suffered greatly for it. But in the case of the United States, where the obesity epidemic is massive, that is simply not the case. The big change is in consuming more sweeteners and more vegetable oils—according to the data presented.
Moreover, my impression—confirmed when googling this—is that the warning against sweeteners and vegetable oils is an important part of the paleo critique of the modern diet. If you follow paleo advice, you will abandon sweeteners and vegetable oils.
So, the correlation does not “go the wrong way”, in the case of the United States. There are a lot of other countries listed there, but since I don’t know whether and how much they are subject to an obesity epidemic, I can’t make use of the data.
You’re wrong. 1961 USA was already quite far in its transition away from Neolithic food, it just takes time for such low-level damage to accumulate.
There’s little high quality world-wide data before 1961, but feel free to offer a bet about it if you doubt what it would reach.
Correlation goes the wrong way, just like I said.
In any case, obesity statistics are easily available for all countries, so I’m puzzled by your unwillingness to take a look.
It’s not. Paleos bundle all non-Paleo foods as if they were pretty much the same. It’s about as useful as abstinence-only approach to safe sex.
No, paleo dieters don’t bundle all non-paleo foods. Almost all foods that can be bought in a store or farmers market has been altered in one way or another since the neolithic began. And most paleo dieters acknowledge this. The purpose is not to perfectly replicate the diet of a paleolithic human, in the fashion of a civil war reenactor, but to most closely mimic the profile of the diet humans evolved to eat.
Some factors in this are nutrient density, lower simple carbs, intermittent fasting, and ketosis. These have been shown in research to be beneficial. But of course, there is a lot of research that shows a diversity of results. The strongest evidence comes from studies of hunter-gatherers who mostly lack chronic diseases, and this forms a central basis of the paleo diet.
By the way, Americans ate more meat than bread prior to the 20th century. They also only ate a fraction of the sugar in the past. Yet many of the chronic diseases only became common in the 20th century. Heart disease was a rare disease in the early 20th century, but by the end of the century it was rampant.