Reading Food For the Brain’s (FFTB) report on their child survey [pdf], we were interested to see references to the purported benefits of supplementation and the supposed limits of Recommended Daily Allowances of vitamins and minerals where “optimal mental health” is concerned (p. 7). Those completing the questionnaires were also asked if children were taking “a high quality multivitamin” or “an essential fat supplement” (p. 38). However, the report itself does not mention what answers were given to these questions, or how this correlated with children’s behaviour, exam results, etc. Why not?
Given the fact that the survey’s literature review proclaims that there is a benefit from using supplement pills, and suggests that there may be a benefit to consuming micronutrients well in excess of their RDA (something that will often require supplementation) this is an odd omission. If nothing else, surely FFTB owes it to all those parents who took the time to answer their questions on supplementation to make the results from these questions available to the public?
Further Reading
Food for the Brain Child Survey 2007: The Promotion
Holford Watch looks at the literature review:
Food for the Brain Child Survey 2007: Review Part 1
Food for the Brain Child Survey 2007: Review Part 2
Food for the Brain Child Survey 2007: Review Part 3
Food for the Brain Child Survey 2007: Review Part 4
Food for the Brain Child Survey 2007: Review Part 5
Holford Watch appeals for help to Professor Holford and two members of the Scientific Advisory Board who approved this report and then looks at the data and analyses:
Food for the Brain Child Survey 2007: Review Part 7
Food for the Brain Child Survey 2007: Review Part 8
Why Don’t Food for the Brain Report Their Survey Results on Supplement Pills Survey: Review Part 9
Food for the Brain Child Survey 2007: Review Part 10
Okay, I think I’ve got it. After getting more and more exasperated by the inconsistencies, mis-labelling and mis-directions throughout this report, I’ve realised my mistake…
If you think of this document not as some science-based report but as a pulp fiction murder mystery story, if all fits. The irrelevant references are just red herrings, the supplements stuff (or lack of) is an unfinished sub-plot brought into to confuse and distract for now but lay the teaser for a sequel, and the unfounded claims for increasing liklihood of poor behaviour are the usual deus ex machina that help the main character solve the mystery when the reader didn’t have a chance.
I can see it now:
The name is Spade, Sam Spade. Why? ‘Cos I always carry one with me. Yes, that’s right, I’m always digging up something… mostly the dark green leafy vegetables from my allotment that make such a smart private detective.”
Dear Prof. Holford, I’ve got Mr. Tarantino lined up, may I buy the movie rights?
The only version that I would like even more would be:
All the meat and dairy products have disappeared from Los Angeles. Lieutenant Columbo is sent to investigate.
Columbo: Hey, this is some operation you have got here Mr Holford. Lots of supplements and endorsements. You must be one clever guy.
Mr H: It’s professor Holford actually
Columbo: Yeah think I have heard of you, my wife takes your supplements.
Mr H: My wife takes them as well. Numerous independent studies have demonstrated that taking an expensive … err … I mean extensive range of supplements makes the world a better place. In fact, in the latest edition of Optimum Nutrition magazine there is a very inspiring ….
Columbo: Well, I must be going now.
[Lieutenant Columbo leaves the room. He returns a few seconds later.]
Columbo: Just one more thing. Wasn’t that study on vitamins funded by the Shaklee corporation? Aren’t you a visiting professor in the School of Social Sciences rather than a professor of nutrition?
heh – you have an unerring sense for these things, Lee.
Oddly enough, we were considering a snarky letter to the guilty journal about that very study until we realised that they don’t really have a letter mechanism in place – just online comments that would not be indexed.
Holford Watch is like an espisode of Columbo.
In Columbo we know who did the murder from the beginning. The entertainment comes from finding out why and how lieutenant Columbo figures it out. Similarly on HW you know there is bad science involved, but the fun is watching it being unravelled in a systematic way.
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