For years, the federal government, doctors and nutritionists have treated dietary fat as Public Enemy #1, despite scanty science of a link between fat intake and obesity. Meanwhile, the same people were talking up carbohydrates as a perfectly healthy food choice at the same time when, by an amazing coincidence, Uncle Sam was dishing up tens of billions of dollars in corn and grain agribusiness subsidies.In effect, saying no to meat and fat meant saying yes to high fructose corn syrup.
So a significant portion of Americans start cutting back on fat and loading up the carbs. Then, a little while later, that ungrateful little heretic, Dr. Robert Atkins, has the insolence to point out “Hey, obesity is up, not down, and diabetes is going through the roof. Maybe fat isn’t evil, and maybe too many carbohydrates can make you fat.” The condemnation of the Government Medical Complex was swift and merciless, and only increased in vitriol when he came out with a diet that actually helped people lose weight.
Now comes word that it’s all been one big fat lie. (Preceding pun blatantly stolen from Gary Taubes’ ground-breaking New York Times Atkins story from 2002.) Very large and rigorous scientific studies increasing show no link between dietary fat and obesity.
But don’t expect a significant change in federal government diet guidelines anytime soon, since the Atkins diet is still politically incorrect among the “meat is evil” religious environmentalist crowd, which make up a disproportionate share of our ruling elite. Big government means never having to admit you were wrong…