The Framingham Heart Study - begins.

The Framingham Heart Study began before Ancel Keys's ideas were favoured. Over time many of their original findings have been overturned. Most of their studies produced confusing findings, "black swans" kept on appearing. Many reasons for even more studies.

Until the Women's Health Initiative produced conclusive evidence that the "healthy diet" they were advocating had no health benefits (1998), it was very difficult for anyone to explain why those "black swans" existed.

Framingham Findings Change Over Time

Total Cholesterol

1961: Total Cholesterol is a good marker of future cardiovascular disease. (A finding reversed 20 years later.)

1988: Higher HDL-Cholesterol reduces the risk of death.
AND:
Low Total Cholesterol is linked to more cancer, and poor circulation.

Stroke Risk

1970: High Blood Pressure increases the risk of strokes.

1997: People who ate more saturated fats have fewer strokes.

Obesity

2005: The lifetime risk of being obese exceeds 70%.

Smoking

1960: Cigarette smoking found to increase the risk of heart disease.

2008: Smoking and obesity are not related.

Alzheimer's Disease

2009: High leptin levels may protect against Alzheimer's disease.

2010: Fat around the abdomen is associated with smaller, older brains.

Heart Disease Risk

1996: High Blood Pressure increases the rate of cardiovascular disease.

1998: There is no relationship between diet and Cardiovascular disease.

2007: There is no relationship between dietary saturated fat and heart disease.

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