Chapter Seven FIBER Flashcards
What is a fixed idea according to Atle Selberg?
A fixed idea is dangerous as it leads a person to always find a way to convince themselves that they are right.
What significant event regarding sugar and refined carbohydrates occurred in April 1973?
The Senate Select Committee on Nutrition and Human Needs held its first hearing on diet and chronic diseases.
Who was George McGovern?
George McGovern was a U.S. Senator who led the Dietary Goals for Americans initiative.
What was the initial focus of McGovern’s committee hearings in 1972?
The initial focus was on dietary fat, cholesterol, and heart disease.
What did John Yudkin’s book ‘Sweet and Dangerous’ highlight?
It highlighted the urgency of addressing sugar in the diet in relation to diabetes and heart disease.
What was the testimony from Aharon Cohen regarding heart disease?
Cohen testified that there was no direct relationship linking heart disease to dietary fats.
What was Peter Cleave’s stance on refined carbohydrates?
Cleave believed that the problem extended to all refined carbohydrates and did not support the cholesterol hypothesis.
What did Yudkin blame for heart disease?
Yudkin blamed heart disease exclusively on sugar.
What was McGovern’s position on dietary fat and cholesterol?
McGovern struggled to reconcile expert testimonies with the belief that dietary fat was the primary cause of heart disease.
What is the fiber hypothesis?
The fiber hypothesis posits that the absence of fiber in diets leads to chronic diseases.
Who is Denis Burkitt?
Denis Burkitt was a missionary surgeon who proposed the fiber hypothesis after studying disease patterns in Africa.
What did Burkitt conclude about the relationship between fiber and chronic diseases?
Burkitt concluded that a lack of fiber leads to conditions such as constipation and related chronic diseases.
How did Burkitt gather evidence for his hypothesis?
Burkitt gathered evidence through a network of hospitals reporting on disease cases and dietary habits.
What was the effect of refined carbohydrates according to Burkitt?
Refined carbohydrates were linked to constipation and increased risk of diseases like appendicitis and cancer.
What was the dramatic increase in appendicitis cases related to?
The increase in appendicitis cases was related to urban populations adopting Western diets.
What did Burkitt’s studies reveal about the health of African populations?
African populations maintained low rates of chronic diseases until they adopted Western diets.
What did Burkitt hypothesize about stool transit time?
Burkitt hypothesized that reduced fiber slowed stool transit time, increasing the risk of carcinogen damage.
Fill in the blank: Burkitt believed that the absence of _______ in refined carbohydrates leads to chronic diseases.
fiber
True or False: Burkitt initially supported the idea that sugar directly caused heart disease.
False
What was the general consensus about dietary fat and heart disease by the early 1970s?
The consensus was that dietary fat was the primary cause of coronary heart disease.
What did Burkitt’s research in the 1970s conclude about dietary factors?
Dietary factors were likely responsible for benign conditions as well as related malignant conditions.
What did Burkitt’s findings suggest about the relationship between Western diets and disease?
Western diets were linked to higher incidences of diseases like colorectal cancer, which were rare in traditional diets.
What motivated Burkitt to study stool characteristics and bowel behavior?
To associate fiber deficiency, constipation, and chronic diseases.
What was the main finding of Burkitt and Walker’s research published in The Lancet in 1972?
Diets with natural fiber resulted in large, soft stools that traverse the intestine rapidly.
