Aseem Malhotra
Aseem Malhotra | |
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| Occupation(s) | Cardiologist, writer |
Aseem Malhotra is a British cardiologist and former clinical associate to the Academy of Medical Royal Colleges. He is best known as a promoter of a diet known as the Pioppi diet.[1][2]
Biography
Malhotra has been particularly prominent in attacking the standard advice on saturated fat consumption to reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease. He denounces what he calls the government’s "obsession" with levels of total cholesterol, which, he says, has led to the overmedication of millions of people with statins, and has diverted attention from the "more egregious" risk factor of atherogenic dyslipidaemia. He directs his attention to the effects of sugar and in particular on its role in diabetes.[3] He advocates a 20% sugary drinks tax, which, he claims, would reduce the number of people in the UK becoming obese by 180,000 within a year.[4]
He believes that over-diagnosis and over-treatment is “the greatest threat to our healthcare system”.[5] He says that in the UK at least £2bn is wasted each year on unnecessary tests and treatment.[6]
Malhotra argues against the Lipid hypothesis. With Robert H. Lustig and Maryanne Demasi, he authored an article in the The Pharmaceutical Journal which disputes the link between blood cholesterol levels and occurrence of heart disease.[7] The article was criticized by the medical community. Cardiologist Tim Chico commented that "high cholesterol has been proven beyond all doubt to contribute to coronary artery disease and heart attack ... to say the cholesterol hypothesis is dead is simply incorrect."[8]
Malhotra was described as a charming and telegenic young cardiologist in private practice but was accused by Rory Collins of endangering lives by scare stories about statins.[9]
Pioppi diet
According to the British Dietetic Association, Malhotra's recommended diet, the "Pioppi diet" is one of "top 5 worst celeb diets to avoid in 2018": it is a "hijacked" version of the Mediterranean diet that makes ludicrous claims about the Italian diet because of a "low-carb agenda".[1] His diet has been described as a low-carb high-fat diet.[10] Malhotra believes that saturated fat is part of a healthy diet, he is known to put a tablespoon of butter and coconut oil into his coffee.[11]
The British Nutrition Foundation expressed confusion about the Pioppi diet as it purports to promote principles of the Mediterranean diet but this diet is low in saturated fat and contrary to Malhotra's idea that people can eat as much saturated fat as they like.[12] Christopher Snowdon criticized the diet noting that Malhotra's "interpretation of the Pioppi Diet does not reflect what the people of Pioppi eat. It is basically an ultra-low carb version of the Mediterranean Diet with a few trendy ingredients, such as coconut oil, thrown in."[10]
Bibliography
- The Pioppi Diet: A 21-Day Lifestyle Plan (with Donal O'Neill), Penguin Books, 2017 ISBN 9781405932639
References
- ^ a b "Top 5 worst celeb diets to avoid in 2018". British Dietetic Association. 7 December 2017.
the authors may well be the only people in the history of the planet who have been to Italy and come back with a diet named after an Italian village that excludes pasta, rice and bread
- ^ Mellor, Duane. (2017). "Dietitians like me don’t take the Pioppi Diet seriously". The Spectator. Retrieved December 2, 2018.
- ^ Malhotra, Aseem (22 October 2013). "Saturated fat is not the major issue". British Medical Journal. 347: f6340. doi:10.1136/bmj.f6340. Retrieved 13 May 2015.
- ^ "A glass of water a day 'can cut diabetes risk by a quarter'". Daily Express. 1 May 2015. Retrieved 13 May 2015.
- ^ "'Over-treating' patients is wasteful, unnecessary and can cause them harm, campaign claims". Independent. 13 May 2015. Retrieved 13 May 2015.
- ^ "Is the failure of health regulation damaging our well-being?". Guardian. 1 February 2015. Retrieved 13 May 2015.
- ^ Demasi, M; Lustig R. H; Malhotra A. (2017). The cholesterol and calorie hypotheses are both dead — it is time to focus on the real culprit: insulin resistance. The Pharmaceutical Journal doi:10.1211/CP.2017.20203046.
- ^ "Expert reaction to new report on statins and the cholesterol hypothesis". Science Media Centre. Retrieved December 2, 2018.
- ^ "Butter nonsense: the rise of the cholesterol deniers". Guardian. 30 October 2018. Retrieved 31 October 2018.
- ^ a b Snowdon, Christopher. (2017). "The Pioppi Diet is a superficial lifestyle guide based on distorted evidence". The Spectator. Retrieved November 28, 2018.
- ^ O'Connor, Anahad. (2016). "An Unconventional Cardiologist Promotes a High-Fat Diet". The New York Times. Retrieved November 28, 2018.
- ^ "BNF response to the Pioppi diet". British Nutrition Foundation. Retrieved November 28, 2018.