Dr. Berg’s Healthy Keto and Intermittent Fasting Podcast

The Biggest Research Study Scam

6 snips

Apr 9, 2024

Dr. Eric Westman, an M.D. and statistician, discusses how researchers manipulate data, the flaws in observational studies on red meat and fasting, and the bias in nutritional epidemiology. He criticizes the misleading Stanford twin experiment and highlights the challenges in nutritional research and clinical practice. He also talks about educational initiatives on cholesterol and keto diets.

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INSIGHT

Relative Risk Misleads; Use Absolute Risk

Relative risk can exaggerate small changes and mislead audiences about real benefit or harm.
Doctors and patients should focus on absolute risk, which shows the actual change in outcomes.

INSIGHT

Observational Diet Studies Are Weak Evidence

Observational nutritional studies produce small relative risks that don't prove causation.
Large associations (e.g., 10x) are more convincing, but typical diet associations are weak and unreliable.

ADVICE

Treat Epidemiology As Hypothesis-Generating

Treat observational research as hypothesis-generating, not definitive guidance.
Wait for randomized, hypothesis-testing trials before changing clinical practice.

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Please join me in welcoming Dr. Eric Westman. Dr. Westman is an M.D. and a Master's-level statistician. He explains how researchers often manipulate data reports by misleadingly presenting information. He also explains the difference between absolute risk and relative risk and how it can be used for this purpose.

Observational studies can also misleadingly present information because they cannot prove causation. Many recent studies in the news demonizing red meat and fasting were observational self-reported studies. These studies involve a person recalling what they ate days, weeks, and even months ago!

What's the purpose of observational studies if they can't prove causation? Observational studies are known as “hypothesis-generating studies," so they generate a hypothesis for a formal experiment.

One of the most recent misleading studies, the Stanford twin experiment, gained popularity on Netflix. The study had several flaws and was funded by a plant-based organization to promote a plant-based diet.

The School of Public Health at Harvard University is researching nutritional epidemiology using observational studies involving diet recall. These studies result in misleading associations between things like red meat and heart disease and red meat and cancer. According to Dr. Westman, nutritional epidemiology only presents weak associations and should not be regarded as fact.

People come to Dr. Westman’s clinic for all sorts of health problems. His clinic has a reputation for everything from improving diabetes and obesity to eliminating chronic heartburn and IBS. Dr. Westman utilizes a low-carb keto diet to help reverse many chronic health conditions.

Dr. Westman aims not only to help his patients but to educate them as well! Dr. Westman created Adapt Your Life Academy, where people can take online courses on various health-related topics, including diabetes, cholesterol, protein, keto cooking, and cancer.

Subscribe to Dr. Eric Westman's YouTube Channel: @adaptyourlife

Check out Dr. Westman's website here: http://www.adaptyourlifeacademy.com/