Noakes back in the spotlight
UK journal pulls paper over concerns
STAFF
TIM Noakes, South Africa’s low-carbohydrate adviser, is in hot water – again. Last week, he and two doctors wrote a paper arguing that eating carbohydrates, especially refined ones, explained the rise of obesity rather than a lack of exercise.
The piece was published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine in which one of his best friends and fellow banter, Karim Khan, is one of the three editors.
The editorial argued no one could out-run a bad diet, despite the food industry’s argument that one could indulge in junk food if one burnt off the excess calories by exercising.
The opinion piece was picked up by 28 media outlets including the BBC, The Times of India and Newsnight, a London-based TV show.
But it has now been taken down. The site says: “The paper has been temporarily removed following an expression of concern.”
It appears the controversy is because he and two fellow authors did not declare a conflict of interests – a common practice in medical research.
Noakes has sold 150 000 copies of his book Real Meal Revolution, promoting a low-carb lifestyle. But he has also published three other books, one promoting exercise.
Aseem Malhotra is science director of non-profit organisation Action on Sugar and co-authored the paper. He is lobbying the British government to place a high tax on sugary foods.
Noakes defended his choice, saying on Twitter that in 42 years of publishing he had never needed to declare his books. He had now declared them and was waiting for the article to be put back up. He suggested the editorial had ruffled feathers.
But the professor of bioethics at the Steve Biko School for Ethics, Ames Dhai, said: “Declaring books: yes, any book that brings in royalties is an income generator and should be declared even in an editorial.”
Noakes said he was not keeping any money from his book. It was going to the Noakes Foundation for research on nutrition.
Dhai said: “When editors publish based on friendship they do doctors, the healthcare profession and ultimately patients a huge disservice as their care would be based on biased information – which may work against the best interests of our patients.”