McDougall shows how you can identify the bad guys: “But my guess is that Avandia will, unfortunately, remain on the market. The people keeping this medication on the market do so because of profits, and disregard the harms caused by it. Most of them work directly or indirectly for the drug maker, GlaxoSmithKline. Investors are worried because the company could face even more lawsuits than they currently have if the drug is pulled from the market by the FDA.”

McDougall debates fats versus carbs again: “Pointing the guilty finger away from fat and towards carbohydrates is self-serving for those diet-experts who themselves refuse to give up their high-fat diet.”

And, of course, recipes: Baco-yuba, Edamame Surprise, Chipotle Sauce, Mushroom Sauce, Gallo Pinto, Pico de Gallo, Fresh Corn Tortillas, and Costa Rican Mango-Avocado Salad.

Consumption of red and processed meats increases the risk of bladder cancer, according to a new study. Researchers looked at 300,933 men and women and found that those who consumed the most red meat had a 22 percent increased risk of bladder cancer, compared with those who ate the least. Consumption of nitrites and nitrates, compounds used for preserving, coloring, and flavoring processed meats, was associated with a 28 to 29 percent increased risk at highest intake levels. PhIP, a chemical commonly found in grilled chicken and other meats heated to a sufficient degree, was associated with a 19 percent increased risk of bladder cancer. Participants were part of the NIH-AARP Diet and Health Study and were included in a 7-year follow up.

PhIP has been linked to numerous cancers in humans, including breast, colon, and prostate. Nitrites and nitrates have long been recognized as potent carcinogens.

Ferrucci LM, Sinha R, Ward MH, et al. Meat and components of meat and the risk of bladder cancer in the NIH-AARP Diet and Health Study. Cancer. Published ahead of print August 2, 2010. doi: 10.1002/cncr.25463.

McDougall weighs in on the 2010 Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee: “Except for a few hopeful sentences, the committee presents a report filled with fear mongering, doubletalk, omissions of major topics, consistently biased views of the scientific literature, and inexcusable factual errors that favor the livestock industries.”

Lack of physical activity is not the cause of weight gain in children, according to a study in Archives of Diseases in Childhood. Researchers measured physical activity and body fat percentage in 202 children annually from age 7 to age 10. The amount of physical activity did not result in changes in body fat. Although physical activity is important, the researchers concluded that focusing on food intake may have a larger impact on weight loss.

Metcalf BS, Hosking J, Jeffery AN, Voss LD, Henley W, Wilkin TJ. Fatness leads to inactivity, but inactivity does not lead to fatness: a longitudinal study in children (EarlyBird 45). Arch Dis Child. Published ahead of print June 23, 2010. doi: 10.1136/adc.2009.175927.

Dr. McDougall challenges claims by Dr. Andrew Weil in a recent Huffington Post article: “Pointing the guilty finger away from fat and towards carbohydrates is self-serving for those diet-experts who themselves refuse to give up their high-fat diet. Food industries buy scientific research published in respectable journals because it is one of their most effective marketing tools.”

People with diabetes have up to twice the risk of developing liver, pancreatic, and endometrial cancers, compared to the risk for people who do not have diabetes, according to a study published in CA: A Cancer Journal for Clinicians. Cancers of the colon, rectum, bladder, and breast are also more common among people with diabetes. The reason for the increased risk is unknown but may be due to similar risk factors for both diseases, such as obesity and older age. However, the link may also be from diabetic complications like high blood sugar, high blood insulin, inflammation, or altered hormone regulation, all having the potential to increase cancer risk. This report from the American Diabetes Association and the American Cancer Society suggests that a high intake of whole grains, fruits, and vegetables, and low intake of processed and red meats are associated with lower cancer risk.

Giovannucci E, Harlan DM, Archer MC, et al. Diabetes and Cancer: A Consensus Report. CA Cancer J Clin. Published ahead of print June 16, 2010. doi: 10.3322/caac.20078.

Meat eating leads to weight gain, according to a new study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. Researchers studied the diets of 373,803 participants in the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer (EPIC study). Those who ate 8.8 ounces (about two servings) of meat per day gained more weight year by year, compared with people who ate less meat (or none at all). The weight gain attributable to meat consumption was about 1 extra pound per year. The researchers concluded that reducing meat consumption may help people avoid weight gain.

Vergnaud AC, Norat T, Romaguera D, et al. Meat consumption and prospective weight change in participants of the EPIC-PANACEA study. Am J Clin Nutr. Published ahead of print June 30, 2010. doi: 10.3945/ajcn.2009.28713.

Vegetarians have lower instances of depression, according to a new study in Nutrition Journal. Researchers looked at 60 vegetarians and 78 meat-eaters in the southwestern United States and found that vegetarians scored significantly better on standardized mood tests. The mood tests measured depression, anxiety, and stress and were compared to food frequency questionnaires. The vegetarians consumed less eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), and arachidonic acid—all animal sources of omega-6 fatty acids—but reported higher mean intakes of plant sources of omega-6 and omega-3.

Beezhold BL, Johnston CS, Daigle DR. Vegetarian diets are associated with healthy mood states: a cross-sectional study in Seventh Day Adventist adults. Nutr J. 2010;9:26.

According to a new study, girls who eat the most meat products during childhood may have an earlier occurrence of puberty, increasing their risks of diseases such as cancer, heart disease, and osteoporosis. Researchers followed 3,298 girls in Bristol, England, and gathered their dietary intakes when they were 3, 7, and 10 years old. Forty-nine percent of girls who ate more than 12 portions of meat per week started their periods by age 12, compared with 35 percent of girls who ate fewer than four portions of meat per week.

Another recent study compared food consumption habits in the United States in 1909 and 2007 and showed that meat intake rose from 123 pounds to more than 200 pounds per person per year while cheese intake increased nine fold.

Rogers IS, Northstone K, Dunger DB, Coooper AR, Ness AR, Emmett PM. Diet throughout childhood and age at menarche in a contemporary cohort of British girls. Public Health Nutr. Published ahead of print June 8, 2010.

Barnard ND. Trends in food availability, 1909-2007. Am J Clin Nutr. 2010;91(suppl):1S-7S.

McDougall says Don’t Take Vitamins: “Health problems from excesses cannot be corrected with treatments useful for deficiencies. Have you ever known a person who has lost 100 pounds by taking supplements or cured their arthritis, hypertension, colitis, or type-2 diabetes through vitamin and mineral therapies? I bet you haven’t and neither have I.”

He also says you can breathe better by changing your diet: “An unhealthy diet will increase a person’s susceptibility to known causes of lung disease, such as allergens, tobacco smoke, infectious agents, and air pollution. One of the best examples of the importance of diet and lung health is demonstrated by the low incidence of lung cancer among Japanese cigarette smokers. The risk of lung cancer in the United States is at least 10 times higher than in Japanese living in Japan despite the higher percentage of smokers among the Japanese.”

And, of course, recipes. This time we get BBQ Pulled Jackfruit, Creamy-style Coleslaw, Dilled Coleslaw, Tofu Sour Cream, Quick Coleslaw, Golden Sautéed Onions, Inside-Out Lasagna, Tofu Ricotta, Beans & Greens Salad, and Spinach, Fennel and Mango Salad.