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Lumifer comments on Optimal eating (or rather, a step in the right direction) - Less Wrong Discussion

5 Post author: c_edwards 19 January 2015 01:35AM

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Comment author: Lumifer 21 January 2015 06:33:54PM *  1 point [-]

Apparently fish is by far the healthiest form of meat

That is not self-evident to me.

Red meat is considered harmful mostly because it's usually high in saturated fat which has been demonized for the past few decades. If you think saturated fat is fine, I don't see why you'd consider red meat unhealthy.

Fish, on the other hand, is considered healthy largely because of omega-3 fatty acids and the reason that contemporary Western humans need them is that the usual diets have massively skewed omega-3/omega-6 ratios. And the reason for that is all the seed oils (soybean, sunflower, etc) that we consume. I don't know if eating fish would be especially "healthy" for someone with a normal o-3/o-6 ratio.

Comment author: skeptical_lurker 21 January 2015 08:18:26PM 0 points [-]

Wikipedia says:

A 1999 meta-analysis of five studies comparing vegetarian and non-vegetarian mortality rates in Western countries found that in comparison with regular meat-eaters, mortality from ischemic heart disease was 34% lower in pescetarians, 34% lower in ovo-lacto vegetarians, 26% lower in vegans and 20% lower in occasional meat-eaters.[9]

Now it's possible that this correlation does not imply causation. Its also possible that the meat-eaters are eating low-quality processed meat, or are overcooking their meat.

Fish does pose worries about mercury. I have been considering going pescetarian at some point in the future, but if I can get the same benefit by using olive oil instead of sunflower oil then I won't bother.

Comment author: Lumifer 21 January 2015 08:27:57PM *  1 point [-]

I am aware of observational studies. But if you want to quote some, please find ones which examine total mortality and at least discuss the confounding factors.

E.g. this is a better example, but note that in this case they lump fish and chicken together under "white meat".

Comment author: IlyaShpitser 21 January 2015 08:45:38PM 0 points [-]

[Standard disclaimer about confounding in these types of studies being even harder than normal.]

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