The Religiosity of Vegetarian "Science"

[Gumby]

I don't want to rehash the entire great meat debate we just had a few weeks ago, but this article was jaw dropping.

http://anthonycolpo.com/lies-damned-lie ... ism-part-1

Those who followed our debate know that almost all of the so-called "scientific evidence" to support a vegetarian lifestyle comes from the Seven Day Adventist studies, which claim to show decreased mortality from meat avoidance.

However, it seems that if you actually take the time to look at the raw data in the Seven Day Adventist research, a very different story is told.

The author carefully examines how the Seven Day Adventist researchers have "adjusted" their numbers to support their own religious-based views of what one's diet should be.

And this elaborate multi-layered wankology, ladies and gentlemen, is how you take a set of raw actual figures and totally transform them into something they’re not. By the time they’re done, the Loma Linda researchers have managed to return 8-19% reductions from overall mortality in the vegetarian groups. Meanwhile, the hapless meat-eaters suddenly find themselves portrayed as having the highest death rate in the study from just about every listed cause!

Again, this wouldn’t be so outrageous if the researchers took pains to emphasize these reductions were purely speculative estimates arising from mathematical exercises. But they do the exact opposite, concluding:

“…vegetarian dietary patterns were associated with lower mortality. The evidence that vegetarian diets, or similar diets with reduced meat consumption, may be associated with a lower risk of death should be considered carefully by individuals as they make dietary choices and by those offering dietary guidance.”?

What the Loma Linda researchers want us to believe is that, despite having the lowest mortality rate in the study, non-vegetarians actually had the highest death rate in the study!

Source: Lies, Damned Lies, and Vegetarianism: Part 1

It appears that the Seven Day Adventist studies that vegetarians (and the media) regularly cite to support Vegetarianism don't even support Vegetarianism, when examined closely. The author clearly demonstrates that the so-called "science" to support Vegetarianism is just a statistical lie made up by a biased religious organization!

You can see a real pattern in the Seven Day Adventist propaganda over the past century. John Harvey Kellogg (1852-1943) was a Seven Day Adventist and did everything in his power to convince the world that we should all be shunning traditional breakfasts (bacon and eggs) and replacing them with his invention of mass-produced breakfast cereal grains.

Kellogg's dream was to convince everyone to convert to a Seven Day Adventist grain-based diet and he made fortune in the process.

We know that Vegetarianism started as a religious movement, but it would appear that the religious powers behind its continued support have cloaked their legitimate religious-based opinions with totally bogus "science."

I highly recommend people read the article to see how the Seven Day Adventists tweaked their results.

[Benko]

Don't forget the China Study (which is also flawed).

[Mdraf]

How is Buddhist and Hindu vegetarianism connected to SDA ?

[Gumby]

How is Buddhist and Hindu vegetarianism connected to SDA ?

They aren't. All of the various religious views on diet are totally legitimate (i.e. people have the right to believe and practice whatever they want to). The problem is when religious leaders publish fraudulent "scientific" research to support their religious-based dietary recommendations in an attempt to convert non-believers to their way of life.

[Xan]

To be fair to John Harvey Kellogg: he never wanted to commercialize his breakfast cereal invention.  It was to be used to help people in his sanitarium.  It was his brother, Will, who founded the Kellogg company, and the two had a big falling out over it.

[Tortoise]

Although the author, Anthony Colpo, makes some very good points in that article, his persistent use of snarky, immature taunts makes it seem like he has an ax to grind. That weakens his position, because one of his points is that the authors of the Seventh-Day Adventist study are biased. Clearly Colpo is biased as well, as shown by his taunts and sarcasm.

On a related note, I've often wondered why Seventh-Day Adventists are singled out so often in longevity studies. Yes, SDAs tend to be vegetarians, but there are many other groups that are vegetarian as well. Yes, SDAs tend to exercise more than other populations, but there are plenty of non-SDAs who exercise a lot, too. Yes, SDAs tend to abstain from alcohol and caffeine, but so do Mormons. Yes, SDAs observe a Sabbath every week, which may help lower stress, but so do Jews.

If the Seventh-Day Adventist population truly does have higher longevity--for whatever reason--I wonder what the primary causal factor is that distinguishes them from all other populations? Maybe it's the combination of diet, exercise, and stress-reducing Sabbath observance that increases longevity? (Just speculation, of course.)

[Gumby]

Although the author, Anthony Colpo, makes some very good points in that article, his persistent use of snarky, immature taunts makes it seem like he has an ax to grind. That weakens his position, because one of his points is that the authors of the Seventh-Day Adventist study are biased. Clearly Colpo is biased as well, as shown by his taunts and sarcasm.

Totally fair point. Though, it's difficult to argue with a lot of what he said. I mean, the raw numbers tell a very different story from their adjustments. And the adjustments appear to just be wild estimations used to meet the researchers own hypotheses.

But, I suppose he does have an ax to grind. I think he's fed up with religious vegetarians fabricating science to promote their ideologies.

On a related note, I've often wondered why Seventh-Day Adventists are singled out so often in longevity studies.

The researchers are singling themselves out. The Seventh-Day Adventists studies were done by Seventh-Day Adventists. It's as if they are trying to convert others to their own dietary recommendations.

If the Seventh-Day Adventist population truly does have higher longevity--for whatever reason--I wonder what the primary causal factor is that distinguishes them from all other populations? Maybe it's the combination of diet, exercise, and stress-reducing Sabbath observance that increases longevity? (Just speculation, of course.)

Supposedly the thing they have in common with other groups of longevity is that they have a very tight sense of community (neighbors helping elderly neighbors, etc.). So, for all we know, their way of life plays a big role — and that's difficult to control for in a study. Also, they don't drink or smoke, and you would need to compare them to people with similar habits.

[edsanville]

Have you heard of Dr. John McDougall?  He makes the most convincing arguments for a plant-based diet that I've seen, personally.

[Benko]

Have you heard of Dr. John McDougall?  He makes the most convincing arguments for a plant-based diet that I've seen, personally.

A quick check of his site reveals that he's quoting the common misinformation about protein and osteoporosis:

http://www.drmcdougall.com/med_osteo.html

he's also a big fan of Pritkin (low fat diet).