Many of you will have signed the online petition calling for the Heart Foundation to stop giving out of date advice regarding diet in the management of cardiovascular health. Nearly 20000 signatories now on board.
Jessie Reimers from Brisbane has put her efforts behind this and the cause was put up on A Current Affair last week.
The Heart Foundation (HF) responded that very evening and once again tried to dismiss it as sensationalist and misinformed. They have described Jessie as ‘the petition author is not qualified to give health or dietary advice and we would encourage people to seek such advice from qualified professionals.’
By definition that makes me as unqualified as much as the next person. All that I have done is look at the information that is now so readily available and come to my own conclusions. I then have put ‘on the line’ my own qualifications and am very happy to take this stand and go against the Heart Foundation.
The HF keeps saying their evidence is on their website and it is clearly out of date. The HF last reviewed the literature in May 2009 with the most recent articles referring to 2008 studies. I am referring to literature that is coming out in the last 2 years and right now.
The HF is so out of date with their position statements and recommendations. They last reviewed Low Carbohydrate High Fat diets in 2004 and have left it at that. The No Fructose concept got the thumbs down back then and they do not look like backing down on it anytime soon.
2004 statement from the HF ‘Currently, studies are underway investigating the long-term effects of VLCARB diets on vascular outcomes. However, at this time, VLCARB diets high in saturated fat are not recommended as a long-term nutritional strategy for weight loss and cardiovascular health.
The Heart Foundation will continue to monitor the evidence in this area as it emerges.’
Well it seems they have not been monitoring it well enough to update their position statement. They have not looked at it in nearly 10 years!
In the last few weeks the HF have been under assault and about time. If you are going to be a national body then you have to stay informed.
Jessie Reimer’s response to the Heart Foundation
http://thehealthyjessie.com/2013/11/22/response-to-the-statement-released-by-the-heart-foundation-post-a-current-affair-segment-on-the-petition/
The petition against the Heart Foundation
http://www.change.org/en-AU/petitions/heart-foundation-stop-giving-advice-and-promoting-food-that-causes-heart-disease?utm_source=supporter_message&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=petition_message_notice
The Current Affair programme 21 November 2013
http://aca.ninemsn.com.au/article/8759175/experts-fight-for-heart-tick-removal
The Heart Foundation response 21 November 2013
http://www.heartfoundation.org.au/news-media/Media-Releases-2013/Pages/statement-channel-9-current-affair.aspx
The ‘Out of Date’ Heart Foundation Position Statement page
http://www.heartfoundation.org.au/information-for-professionals/food-professionals/Pages/guides-policies-position-statement.aspx
Some times the people who say they are the officiial of the Heart Foundation Have their own ideas about things and they are out of touch of the realities that have been prove.ancer because most of the patients die so quick. I was supposed to be dead last April and he asked what I was doing and I said I had changed to an Alkaline Diet. He said there is no such a thing as an Alkaline Diet (because it hasen’t been scientifically proved). So I don’t tell him what I am doing. He has a closed mind. A lot of people in so called officiial positions are like that.
The Heart Foundation needs to take good look at themselves over this, unbelievable that their last study/evidence was 10 years ago,it certainly leaves one to think that there is too much money involved in granting a HF Tick, to just say, we were wrong, new eveidence has proven etc..etc… No integrity here at all, HF is only there for promoting good health..now what..shocking indeed..I just won’t believe the HF tick ever again..