This is a perennial topic as it’s incredibly difficult to study.
You can’t do a double blind RCT on the effects of eating / not eating x on longevity.
As a result you’re limited to short term clinical studies and epidemiological data. Both of which come with their own set of problems.
The official dietary guidelines are based on the best available science but there’s still plenty of things we don’t know for sure.
There’s also issues of risk communication which further confuses things.
Processed meats for example are classed as a probable carcinogen based on observational data. You’ll often see it stated that consuming processed meats increases your risk of colon cancer by 20% which sounds horrific. But that’s relative risk.
The data actually shows that people who eat zero processed meat have a lifetime risk of colon cancer of 5%, whereas those that consume the highest levels (>50g per day) have a risk of 6%.
So while it’s quite possibly true that there is a causal link and it’s not just confounding factors, it’s hardly a terrifying statistic, though the headlines typically make it sound like having a slice of bacon is akin to smoking a pack of cigarettes.
This is a perennial topic as it’s incredibly difficult to study.
You can’t do a double blind RCT on the effects of eating / not eating x on longevity.
As a result you’re limited to short term clinical studies and epidemiological data. Both of which come with their own set of problems.
The official dietary guidelines are based on the best available science but there’s still plenty of things we don’t know for sure.
There’s also issues of risk communication which further confuses things.
Processed meats for example are classed as a probable carcinogen based on observational data. You’ll often see it stated that consuming processed meats increases your risk of colon cancer by 20% which sounds horrific. But that’s relative risk.
The data actually shows that people who eat zero processed meat have a lifetime risk of colon cancer of 5%, whereas those that consume the highest levels (>50g per day) have a risk of 6%.
So while it’s quite possibly true that there is a causal link and it’s not just confounding factors, it’s hardly a terrifying statistic, though the headlines typically make it sound like having a slice of bacon is akin to smoking a pack of cigarettes.
Plus, self-reported dietary information is garbage.