Comments on: Why don’t FFTB report their survey results on supplement pills? Survey review part 9

By: The Economist: The End of a Childhood Illusion « Holford Watch: Patrick Holford, nutritionism and bad science

Wed, 05 Nov 2008 12:24:26 +0000

[...] 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 Pa… Food for the Brain Child Survey 2007: Review Part [...]

By: Our Original Questions to Patrick Holford About the Food for the Brain Child Survey 2007 « Holford Watch: Patrick Holford, nutritionism and bad science

Wed, 02 Apr 2008 02:33:19 +0000

[...] Those completing the FFTB questionnaire were asked whether the children used essential fat and multivitamin supplements, but the results of this are not included in the report. Was there a particular reason for this omission, and are these results available? HW comments more fully on the issue of these missing data about supplements. [...]

By: LeeT

LeeT — Tue, 12 Feb 2008 21:45:51 +0000

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.

By: dvnutrix

dvnutrix — Tue, 12 Feb 2008 19:53:57 +0000

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.

By: LeeT

LeeT — Tue, 12 Feb 2008 19:21:06 +0000

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?

By: dvnutrix

dvnutrix — Tue, 12 Feb 2008 14:29:25 +0000

The only version that I would like even more would be:

The name is Spade, Sam Spade. Why? ‘Cos I always carry one with me. Yes, that’s right, I protect people from things that no one should have to look at. I bury them, inter them deep and then pour yards of cement on top.”

By: tifosi246

tifosi246 — Mon, 11 Feb 2008 14:02:28 +0000

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?