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“Corrupt” dietary guidelines must be rewritten to tackle obesity and diabetes, report warns

BMJ 2016; 353 doi: https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.i2898 (Published 23 May 2016) Cite this as: BMJ 2016;353:i2898
  1. Ingrid Torjesen
  1. London

A “complete overhaul” of dietary advice is needed because current public health recommendations have been influenced by the food industry and are actually fuelling obesity and type 2 diabetes rather than reducing them, a hard hitting report has warned.1

The roots of obesity and type 2 diabetes are firmly embedded in diet—specifically, the “low fat” and “lower cholesterol” messages, said the report by the National Obesity Forum and the Public Health Collaboration.

It said that the flawed science behind those messages and dietary goals, subsequently “corrupted by commercial influences” of food companies, have resulted in increased consumption of low fat “junk” food, refined carbohydrates, and polyunsaturated vegetable oils.

“The conspicuous rise in obesity immediately following the introduction of these national guidelines suggests that they have been a root cause of the problem,” said the report, citing the …

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