The China Study by T. Colin Campbell, PhD
Startling Implications for Diet, Weight Loss and Long-term Health
A review by Jim Hicks
Most Americans get their knowledge about nutrition from the media or from poorly informed family, friends and doctors. But now, thanks to Dr. Colin Campbell, the scientifically proven truth about nutrition has been conveniently placed in your hands through his best-selling book, “The China Study.” Although they receive little if any nutritional training in medical school, many enlightened doctors over the years have learned about the power of plant-based nutrition and have used that power effectively in their respective practices. But Dr. Campbell is the first to delve into the science behind that truth and present his findings with the well-deserved credibility that he has earned during his illustrious, 50-year career in the field of nutritional science.
The book gets its name from the most comprehensive study ever undertaken of the relationship between diet and the risk of developing disease. Conceived in 1980, the research project culminated in a 20-year plus (ongoing) partnership of Cornell University, Oxford University, and the Chinese Academy of Preventive Medicine. As a Cornell University Professor, Dr. Campbell directed the entire project that produced more than 8,000 statistically significant associations between various dietary factors and disease. According to Dr. Campbell, “People who ate the most animal-based foods got the most chronic disease … People who ate the most plant-based foods were the healthiest and tended to avoid chronic disease. These results could not be ignored.”
From the book's Introduction … "Very few people truly know what they should be doing to improve their health. This isn't because research hasn't been done. It has. We know an enormous amount about the links between nutrition and health. But the real science has been buried beneath a clutter of irrelevant or even harmful information-junk science, fad diets, and food industry propaganda."
In the remainder of the book, Dr. Campbell drew upon his own research and the research of many other professionals throughout the world to help remove the clutter and present a clear explanation of what we know, how we learned it and why you haven't heard this before. Interestingly, Dr. Campbell devotes the last 1/3 of the entire book to that final topic as he systematically addresses the details of the many disturbing reasons; summing it up thusly:
"There is a wealth of published research that suggests that the diseases of affluence are a result of poor nutrition; not poor genes or bad luck. So why doesn't the medical system take nutrition seriously? Four words: money, power, ego and control. While it is unfair to generalize about individual doctors, it is safe to say that the system they work in, the system that currently takes responsibility for promoting the health of Americans, is failing us. Most, but not all, of the confusion about nutrition is created in legal, fully disclosed ways and is disseminated by unsuspecting, well-intentioned people, whether they are researchers, politicians, or journalists. The entire system--government, science, medicine, industry and media--promotes profits over health, technology over food and confusion over clarity. The most damaging aspect of the system is not sensational, nor is it likely to create much of a stir upon its discovery. It is a silent enemy that few people see and understand."
The beauty of “The China Study” is the integrity shining through from cover to cover. Always true to the science, Dr. Campbell presents a compelling amount of evidence suggesting that a diet of whole plant-based foods will do more to promote health than all of the doctors, drugs and hospitals that money can buy. And yet, he doesn't try to cram it down anyone's throat. As he says, "I have translated the science into dietary recommendations that you can begin to incorporate into your own life. Not only will you gain a new understanding of nutrition and health, but you will also see exactly which foods you should eat and which foods you should avoid. What you decide to do with this information is up to you, but you can at least know that you, as a reader and a person, have finally been told something other than hogwash."
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The most important book on health, diet and nutrition ever written. Its impact will only grow over time and it will ultimately improve the health and longevity of tens of millions of people around the world.
John Mackey, CEO, Whole Foods
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