5 Powerful Ways Diet Studies Gaslight You About Weight Loss
#2 the mean is often meaningless
Every other day, we hear about a new study claiming one diet is superior for weight loss, insulin control, or other metabolic health markers. Intermittent fasting is best. No, eat low carb. Nevermind, it’s okay to eat carbs, but don’t eat them after 6 p.m. The headlines are endless, and it’s no wonder we’re confused.
How can so many clinical studies end up with such conflicting results? How is it the more time goes by, the more obese we’re becoming as a society? What’s going on with all this research?
It’s important to understand how even the best peer-reviewed research in the most reputable journals can have inherent flaws. Clinical research of any kind is fairly expensive, and nutrition studies don’t have big budgets. They often receive funding from university grants, the food industry, or charitable organizations, any of which may have a vested interest in the outcome.
We’re led to believe claims made about the effectiveness of diets when those reporting the results haven’t taken the time to truly dissect the study's limitations. Here are five critical flaws inherent to dietary research and what they mean for those of us trying to figure out how to manage our weight.
