#167 - Gary Taubes: Bad science and challenging the conventional wisdom of obesity

Jun 28, 2021 2h 36m 15 insights

Gary Taubes is an investigative science and health journalist and a best-selling author. In this podcast, Gary explains how he developed a healthy skepticism for science as he was transitioning from being a physics major to beginning as a science journalist. He talks about how he was particularly drawn to sussing out "pathologic science," telling the stories behind his books on the discovery of the W and Z bosons and cold fusion, emphasizing the need for researchers to perform a thorough background analysis. Gary then describes how his work came to focus on public health, nutrition, and obesity. He provides a great historic overview of obesity research and provides his explanation for why the conventional wisdom today is incorrect. We discuss: <ul> <li>Gary's background in science and journalism, and developing a healthy skepticism for science [2:20]; </li> <li>Gary's boxing experience, and the challenge of appreciating behavioral risk [8:40]; </li> <li>How Gary developed his writing skills, and what the best science writers do well [16:45]; </li> <li>Example of how science can go wrong, and the story behind Gary's first book, Nobel Dreams [25:15]; </li> <li>Theoretical vs. experimental physicists: The important differentiation and the relationship between the two [36:00]; </li> <li>Pathological science: research tainted by unconscious bias or subjective effects [40:30]; </li> <li>Reflecting on the aftermath of writing Nobel Dreams and the legacy of Carlo Rubbia [49:45]; </li> <li>Scientific fraud: The story of the cold fusion experiments at Georgia Tech and the subject of Gary's book, Bad Science [53:45]; </li> <li>Problems with epidemiology, history of the scientific method, and the conflict of public health science [1:09:00]; </li> <li>Gary's first foray into the bad science of nutrition [1:26:45]; </li> <li>Research implicating insulin's role in obesity, and the story behind what led to Gary's book, Good Calories, Bad Calories [1:36:15] </li> <li>The history of obesity research, dietary fat, and fat metabolism [1:46:00] </li> <li>The evolving understanding of the role of fat metabolism in obesity and weight gain [1:55:15] </li> <li>Mutant mice experiments giving way to competing theories about obesity [2:04:00] </li> <li>How Gary thinks about the findings that do not support his alternative hypothesis about obesity [2:08:00] </li> <li>Challenges with addressing the obesity and diabetes epidemics, palatability and convenience of food, and other hypotheses [2:14:45]; </li> <li>Challenging the energy balance hypothesis, and the difficulty of doing good nutrition studies [2:25:00]; and </li> <li>More. </li> </ul> Learn more: https://peterattiamd.com/ Show notes page for this episode: <a href="https://peterattiamd.com/GaryTaubes">https://peterattiamd.com/GaryTaubes</a> Subscribe to receive exclusive subscriber-only content: https://peterattiamd.com/subscribe/ Sign up to receive Peter's email newsletter: https://peterattiamd.com/newsletter/ Connect with Peter on Facebook | Twitter | Instagram.

Episode Page ↗

Actionable Insights

1. Prioritize Disproving Your Hypothesis

Rigorously test your hypotheses by actively trying to prove yourself wrong, as self-deception is easy in science. This involves seeking out all possible alternative explanations and flaws in your own work before making definitive claims.

2. Demand Independent Replication

For any scientific claim, especially a significant discovery, demand independent replication by multiple labs. This helps distinguish true signals from background noise or experimental flaws and ensures reliability.

3. Design Robust Experimental Controls

When conducting experiments, ensure you design robust controls that account for all possible confounding factors and potential ways your equipment or methods could fool you. This meticulous background analysis is crucial for accurate results.

4. Guard Against Confirmation Bias

Actively guard against confirmation bias by paying less attention to evidence that confirms your beliefs and more to evidence that challenges them. In leadership roles, foster an environment that welcomes skepticism and dissent to avoid groupthink.

5. Acknowledge Unknown Unknowns

Recognize that in any complex scientific endeavor, there will always be ‘unknown unknowns’ that can influence results. Employ high statistical thresholds and comprehensive background analysis to account for potential unperceived variables.

6. Be Radically Honest About Limitations

When reporting or evaluating scientific research, emphasize and thoroughly discuss all known limitations and potential ways the researchers could have fooled themselves. Ideally, the limitations section should be as extensive as the results.

7. Question Intuitively Obvious Dogma

Be skeptical of scientific paradigms that are accepted as ‘intuitively obvious’ or have become dogma without rigorous experimental testing, especially if their application is failing to solve the problem they address.

8. Consider Alternative Obesity Hypotheses

If struggling with weight or blood sugar control, consider the ‘carbohydrate-insulin model’ of obesity, which posits that obesity is primarily a hormonal regulatory disorder driven by carbohydrate intake and insulin, rather than simply an energy balance problem caused by overeating.

9. Evaluate Dietary Advice Critically

Question long-standing dietary advice (e.g., low-fat, low-salt) if the supporting evidence is based on weak epidemiology or lacks robust randomized controlled trials. Be open to new evidence that refutes established dietary hypotheses.

10. Experiment with Low-Carb/Keto Diets

If you struggle with weight or blood sugar control, consider trying a low-carbohydrate or ketogenic diet. These diets are now widely accepted as safe and effective for many conditions, including type 2 diabetes, and are supported by a growing body of research.

11. Demand Real-World Proof

Maintain a high degree of skepticism for extraordinary scientific claims until they demonstrate practical, real-world applications or widespread, undeniable evidence. This ensures that claims are not just theoretical but have tangible impact.

12. Seek Relentless Criticism

To improve skills like writing or scientific thinking, actively seek out and appreciate constant, relentless, and critical feedback on your work. This rigorous review process is essential for personal and professional growth.

13. Practice Iterative Writing

Adopt a writing process that starts with a ‘vomit out’ first draft to get all ideas down, followed by continuous and rigorous rewriting and editing. This iterative approach helps refine prose until it is clear, compelling, and meets high standards.

14. Acknowledge Personal Limitations

Recognize and acknowledge your personal limitations, especially in high-risk activities, as a form of ‘hubris protection.’ This self-awareness can guide decisions to avoid activities that pose significant threats to long-term health.

15. Evaluate Research Funding Mechanisms

Critically evaluate research funding mechanisms, as current systems often favor ’normal science’ that fits existing paradigms over funding for paradigm shifts or the questioning of fundamental assumptions.