A few comments on The US Dietary Guidelines

[Guest guest]

http://www.latimes.com/news/health/la-he-dietary-guidelines-reaction-20100628,0,5292433,full.storyAnd here's an excerpt from Walt Willett:"...the recommendation for three servings of milk per day is not justified and is likely to cause harm to some people. The primary justification is bone health and reduction of fractures. However, prospective studies and randomized trials have consistently shown no relation between milk intake and risk of fractures. On the other hand, many studies have shown a relation between high milk intake and risk of fatal or metastatic prostate cancer, and this can be explained by the fact that milk intake increases blood levels of IGF-1, a growth-promoting hormone. The justification for drinking three glasses of milk per day on the basis of increasing potassium intake is also not valid as the extra calories, even with low-fat milk, would easily counterbalance the benefit of the extra potassium. Also, the recommendation for people of all ages to drink three servings of milk per day is very radical and would double dairy production if adopted; this would have huge environmental impacts that would need to be considered."and"The recommendation for high intake of lean meat is based on the large amount of heme iron in meat and the high prevalence of iron deficiency in premenopausal women, due to regular menstrual losses. [Heme iron, plentiful in meat and fish, is more readily absorbed by the body than non-heme iron, a chemically distinct form of iron found in lentils, beans and enriched grains.] But this recommendation is worrisome, as there is substantial evidence that high intake of heme iron may increase risks of diabetes, and there is also some evidence that red meat may increase risk of premenopausal breast cancer. Given the complexities and uncertainties, more caution would seem warranted. Non-heme iron, such as in an RDA multivitamin/multimineral, would probably be better because non-heme iron is not absorbed if iron stores are adequate, but heme iron is absorbed whether we need it or not."