Re: Low Fat is Junk Science

"Excessive carbohydrates lead not only to obesity but also, over time, to Type 2 diabetes and, very likely, heart disease."  That does not necessarily mean you have to be obese to develop diabetes. Exercise leads me not only to have more energy but also to sleep better.

Here's what the American Diabetes Association says about Diabetes in developing countries:

"Type 2 diabetes is a global public health crisis that threatens the economies of all nations, particularly developing countries." Asian populations tend to develop diabetes at younger ages and lower BMI levels than Caucasians. Several factors contribute to accelerated diabetes epidemic in Asians, including the “normal-weight metabolically obese” phenotype; high prevalence of smoking and heavy alcohol use; high intake of refined carbohydrates (e.g., white rice); and dramatically decreased physical activity levels."

Note the term "normal-weight metabolically obese". This means that you do not have to physically appear obese, in order to have the same metabolism of someone who is physically obese. Therefore, plotting obesity rates versus diabetes rates doesn't work, because they don't necessarily correlate, especially in developing countries.

I'd be happy to plot Breast Cancer Deaths by Country if the raw data is available but the most recent research points to carbohydrates as the dietary culprit contributing to breast cancer risk. The "old school" researchers never looked at carbs, but there's plenty of newer research.

Breast Cancer Risk and Carbohydrates
While diet and lifestyle, including weight and physical exercise, have long been linked to breast cancer risk, recent research is beginning to clarify that link, explains Dr. Chou. For example, recent studies show a link between the high consumption of carbohydrates, particularly starchy foods, and an increase risk of breast cancer tumors returning in women who have already had breast cancer. A study of women in Mexico also shows that women who ate a lot of carbohydrates were more than twice as likely to get breast cancer than those who ate less starch and sugar.
“Fats, fiber and specific foods have long been studied for their effects on various types of cancer,” says Dr. Chou. “Being overweight is known to raise breast cancer risk, but new studies are showing that the risk is tied to high carbohydrate consumption.”
Scientists think carbs may increase cancer risk by rapidly raising sugar in the blood, which prompts a surge of insulin to be secreted, Dr. Chou explains. High insulin levels, in turn, have been linked to certain cancers, possibly because insulin helps tumors grow.
Specifically, studies have found a link between high “glycemic load” and breast cancers. A high glycemic load essentially means a diet heavy in foods that cause a rapid spike in blood sugar, such as processed foods made from white flour, potatoes and sweets.

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