In a message dated 11/18/02 3:44:08 PM, [log in to unmask] writes:

>Dr. Sidney Smith, the heart association's research director, said it was
>a
>surprise that the Atkins diet did not raise LDL cholesterol. "One small
>study like this flies in the face of so much evidence. We can't change
>dietary recommendations on the spot," he said.
>
Why are these researchers always SO surprized --- haven't they been reading 
any of the scientific journals for the last 20 years? As Ravnskov's analyses 
has demonstrated in great detail, the connection between LDL cholesterol and 
dietary fat was never nailed down itself. "A reduction of animal fat and an 
increase of vegetable fat in the diet is said to lower the blood cholesterol. 
This is correct, but the effect of such dietary changes is very small. Ramsay 
and Jackson (37) reviewed 16 trials using diet as intervention. They 
concluded that the so-called step-I diet, which is similar to the dietary 
advices that are given nationwise by the health authorities in many 
countries, lower the serum cholesterol by 0 to 4% only."  or  "In the early 
1950's the Framingham study included dietary analyses. Almost one thousand 
individuals were questioned in detail about their eating habits. No 
connection was found between the composition of the food and the cholesterol 
level of the blood. Wrote Drs. William Kannel and Tavia Gordon, authors of 
the report: ”These findings suggest a cautionary note with respect to 
hypotheses relating diet to serum cholesterol levels. There is a considerable 
range of serum cholesterol levels within the Framingham Study Group. 
Something explains this inter-individual variation, but it is not diet.” 

See: http://www.ravnskov.nu/cholesterol.htm

Also the connection between fat, especially saturated fat, appears to be more 
or less established fact. 

Namaste, Liz
<A HREF="http://www.csun.edu/~ecm59556/Healthycarb/index.html">
http://www.csun.edu/~ecm59556/Healthycarb/index.html</A>