One of the greatest blunders, warns Noakes

TIM Noakes has hit back at critics of his new diet, saying the theory that blood cholesterol and a high fat diet are the causes of heart disease will be one of the greatest errors in the history of medicine.

“It is time to admit that the theory has failed. We need to adopt an open mind if we are ever to discover the real cause (or causes) of the current global epidemic of obesity, diabetes and coronary heart disease, all of which are likely caused by the same factors.”

The Mercury reported on Friday that six top doctors and academics said Noakes had gone too far in suggesting that a switch to a high fat and protein diet was advisable for everyone. They also said his advice might be dangerous for anyone with or at risk of heart problems.

Noakes, a professor of exercise and sports science and head of the Sports Science Institute of SA, launched an updated edition of his book, Challenging Beliefs, earlier this year, which contained an abrupt turnaround on his previous views towards carboloading – instead promoting a high protein, high fat and low carbohydrate diet.

In a letter to The Mercury, Noakes gave a scientific explanation why a low-fat diet had no proven role in the prevention of heart disease.

“It is time that cardiologists began to teach this fact in our medical schools,” he wrote.

The doctors’ warning came as Noakes received a lifetime achievement award for his research in sports science by the National Research Foundation. – Mercury Correspondent