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Likewise, for heart disease and stroke, plant holy grail. The book has spawned a number of myths about the hazards of
protein has a positive correlation while animal animal protein and the true results of the China Study itself—myths that
protein and fish protein have negative or nearly easily crumble under a scrutinizing eye, but nonetheless continue trickling
neutral correlations—meaning the animal-food into the mainstream and gaining mounting publicity.
eaters in rural China, if anything, are getting less if there’s anything positive to take away from the book’s four hundred
cardiovascular disease than their more vegetarian seventeen pages, it’s the promotion of a whole-food diet—and the resulting
friends. elimination of vegetable oils, high fructose corn syrup, refined grains, and
But matters get even more interesting when other industrial products that tend to displace real food on our modern
we look at some of the peer-reviewed papers gen- menus. But for those seeking scientific literature of a higher caliber, The
erated by the China Study data, most of which Psychology of the Simpsons is likely to be a more satisfying (and animal-
are co-authored by Campbell himself. As with product-friendly) read.
the casein research, the China Study findings as
described in Campbell’s book are a hop, skip, Denise Minger is a twenty-four-year-old health writer, editor, researcher,
and eighteen thousand jumps away from what the and blogger at www.rawfoodsos.com. Once a decade-long vegetarian, her
original research says. Although wheat gets nary own health journey inspired her to investigate the truth about nutrition,
a mention in the China Study chapter, Campbell with a special focus on debunking bad science. Her upcoming book, Death
actually found that wheat consumption—in stark By Food Pyramid, will be published in late 2012.
contrast to rice—was powerfully associated with
higher insulin levels, higher triglycerides, coro- ReFeReNCeS
nary heart disease, stroke and hypertensive heart 1. Campbell, T. Colin, PhD, with Thomas M. Campbell ii. The China Study: Startling Implica-
tions for Diet, Weight Loss, and Long-Term Health. Dallas: BenBella Books, 2004, p. 36.
disease within the China Study data—far more 2. Ibid, p.36.
so than any other food. 21,22 Likewise, in a paper 3. Ibid, p. 48.
from 1990, Campbell conceded that “neither 4. Ibid, p. 60.
Ibid, p. 59.
5.
plasma total cholesterol nor LDL cholesterol was 6. Masterjohn, Chris. “The Truth About the China Study.” http://www.cholesterol-and-health.
associated with cardiovascular disease” in the 7. com/China-Study.html
Colpo, Anthony. “The China Study: More Vegan Nonsense!” http://anthonycolpo.com/?p=129
China Study data, and that “geographical differ- 8. Bounous G., et al. Whey proteins in cancer prevention. Cancer Lett. 1991 May 1;57(2):91-4.
ences in cardiovascular disease mortality within 9. hakkak R., et al. Diets containing whey proteins or soy protein isolate protect against
7,12-dimethylbenz(a)anthracene-induced mammary tumors in female rats. Cancer Epidemiol
China are caused primarily by factors other than Biomarkers Prev. 2000 Jan;9(1):113-7.
dietary or plasma cholesterol”—revealing that 10. O’Connor, T.P. et al. effect of dietary intake of fish oil and fish protein on the development
of L-azaserine-induced preneoplastic lesions in the rat pancreas. J Natl Cancer Inst. 1985
not even the beloved cholesterol middleman Nov;75(5):959-62.
could live up to its heart-disease-causing accusa- 11. Schulsinger, D.A., et al. effect of dietary protein quality on development of aflatoxin B1-
induced hepatic preneoplastic lesions. J Natl Cancer Inst. 1989 Aug 16;81(16):1241-5.
tions. 12. Masterjohn, Chris. “The Curious Case of Campbell’s Rats—Does Protein Deficiency Prevent
23
And in the spirit of saving the best for last, Cancer?” September 22, 2010. http://www.westonaprice.org/blogs/cmasterjohn/2010/09/22/
the-curious-case-of-campbells-rats-does-protein-deficiency-prevent-cancer/
another of Campbell’s own papers, published 13. Madhavan, T.V. and C. Gopalan. “The effect of dietary protein on carcinogenesis of aflatoxin.”
a mere two years before The China Study hit Arch Pathol. 1968 Feb;85(2):133-7.
the shelves, states point-blank that—despite 14. Mathur, M. and N.C. Nayak. “effect of low protein diet on low dose chronic aflatoxin B1
induced hepatic injury in rhesus monkeys.” Toxin Reviews. 1989;8(1-2):265-273.
Campbell’s claims about the superior health of 15. Campbell, p. 73.
the near-vegan rural Chinese—“it is the largely 16. Ibid, p. 7.
vegetarian, inland communities who have the 17. Ibid, p. 77.
18. Junshi C., et al. Life-style and Mortality in China: A Study of the Characteristics of 65
greatest all risk mortalities and morbidities and Chinese Counties. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1990.
who have the lowest LDL cholesterols.” Maybe 19. Minger, Denise. “A Closer Look at the China Study: Fish and Disease.” June 9, 2010. http://
24
rawfoodsos.com/2010/06/09/a-closer-look-at-the-china-study-fish-and-disease/
the lesson here is the same one we gleaned from 20. Minger, Denise. “The China Study: Fact or Fallacy?” July 7, 2010. http://rawfoodsos.
com/2010/07/07/the-china-study-fact-or-fallac/
Campbell’s rats: it’s pretty tough to get sick when 21. Gates J.R., et al. “Association of dietary factors and selected plasma variables with sex
you’re dead! hormone-binding globulin in rural Chinese women.” Am J Clin Nutr. 1996 Jan;63(1):22-31.
22. Fan W.X., et al. “erythrocyte fatty acids, plasma lipids, and cardiovascular disease in rural
China.” Am J Clin Nutr. 1990 Dec;52(6):1027-36.
The GiST 23. Ibid.
Despite its increasing popularity (and glow- 24. Wang Y., et al. “Fish consumption, blood docosahexaenoic acid and chronic diseases in Chi-
nese rural populations.” Comp Biochem Physiol A Mol Integr Physiol. 2003 Sep;136(1):127-
ing endorsements by high-profile vegan converts 40.
like Bill Clinton), The China Study is, in many
ways, more a work of fiction than a nutritional
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