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Big Fat Lies: How the Diet Industry is Making You Sick, Fat & Poor
Diets and exercise won't help us lose weight. Vitamins and minerals are a waste of money and sometimes downright dangerous. Sugar makes us fat and sick. And polyunsaturated fat gives us cancer and works with sugar to give us heart disease. This book exists because I desperately hope that with a little knowledge we can all vote with our feet and change the rules of the game before the game kills us.'
For decades we've been told to eat less, exercise more, eat less saturated fat, eat more polyunsaturated oils, and take vitamin and omega-3 fatty acid supplements. For decades this is what we've done, but the rates of obesity, heart disease, type 2 diabetes, dementia and cancer have never been higher.
The real culprits, David Gillespie tells us, are sugar and polyunsaturated oils. Analysing the latest scientific evidence, he shows us why and outlines a plan to avoid them both without missing out or 'dieting'. Gillespie exposes the powerful role the multibillion-dollar food, health and diet industries have played in promoting the health messages we follow – or feel guilty about not following.
Discovering the truth about diets, exercise, supplements and processed food is your first step towards improved health, greater happiness and a longer life for you and your family.
For decades we've been told to eat less, exercise more, eat less saturated fat, eat more polyunsaturated oils, and take vitamin and omega-3 fatty acid supplements. For decades this is what we've done, but the rates of obesity, heart disease, type 2 diabetes, dementia and cancer have never been higher.
The real culprits, David Gillespie tells us, are sugar and polyunsaturated oils. Analysing the latest scientific evidence, he shows us why and outlines a plan to avoid them both without missing out or 'dieting'. Gillespie exposes the powerful role the multibillion-dollar food, health and diet industries have played in promoting the health messages we follow – or feel guilty about not following.
Discovering the truth about diets, exercise, supplements and processed food is your first step towards improved health, greater happiness and a longer life for you and your family.
272 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2012
About the author
David Gillespie
45 books99 followersDavid Gillespie is a recovering corporate lawyer, former co-founder of a successful software company and investor in several software startups.
He is also the father of six young children (including one set of twins). With such a lot of extra time on his hands, and 40 extra kilos on his waistline, he set out to investigate why he, like so many in his generation, was fat.
He deciphered the latest medical findings on diet and weight gain and what he found was chilling. Being fat was the least of his problems. He needed to stop poisoning himself.
His first book, Sweet Poison, published in 2008 is widely credited with starting the current Australian wave of anti-sugar sentiment.
He is also the father of six young children (including one set of twins). With such a lot of extra time on his hands, and 40 extra kilos on his waistline, he set out to investigate why he, like so many in his generation, was fat.
He deciphered the latest medical findings on diet and weight gain and what he found was chilling. Being fat was the least of his problems. He needed to stop poisoning himself.
His first book, Sweet Poison, published in 2008 is widely credited with starting the current Australian wave of anti-sugar sentiment.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 35 reviews
April 29, 2012
I wish someone in the Australian Health Foundation had the balls to change their stance in the light of Mr Gillespie's research. The resulting battle would make a lot of what passes for Australian current affairs look like schoolyard teasing.
Yes, David Gillespie's research and conclusions are that earth-shattering. Basically, nearly everything you've been taught by health care professionals, nutrionists, and above all weight-loss and fitness centres is flat wrong. We shouldn't eat sugar, nor seed oils, and aninmal fats and proteins are, in fact, what our body prefers to digest. In this reasonably slim volume, he tells you why and how all this horribly wrong advice came into being. Just be cautious when you tell your friends because they will argue with you!
Gillespie has a nice easy-to-read style, with a sprinkling of Aussie-isms. The chapter divisions are sensible and lead you through the subject in a sensible order. There are very few forward references and most of them are just a page or two ahead.
Overall, it is well put together. The book is a page-turner.
Yes, David Gillespie's research and conclusions are that earth-shattering. Basically, nearly everything you've been taught by health care professionals, nutrionists, and above all weight-loss and fitness centres is flat wrong. We shouldn't eat sugar, nor seed oils, and aninmal fats and proteins are, in fact, what our body prefers to digest. In this reasonably slim volume, he tells you why and how all this horribly wrong advice came into being. Just be cautious when you tell your friends because they will argue with you!
Gillespie has a nice easy-to-read style, with a sprinkling of Aussie-isms. The chapter divisions are sensible and lead you through the subject in a sensible order. There are very few forward references and most of them are just a page or two ahead.
Overall, it is well put together. The book is a page-turner.
November 22, 2012
So in a world of diet books, nutrition books and exercise books, we have a book written by a lawyer (?!) which claims that dieting makes you fat, the nutrition bodies of the world are lying to you, and exercise is a waste of time better spent reading his book.
Really?
I picked this up, read a few chapters that interested me most (there is a fair bit of "technical" hoo-hah), and skimmed the rest.
Gillespie's drum is that we eat too much sugar (well, yeah), polyunsaturated fats, particularly seed oils, are reallyreallyreally bad for us and will give us cancer, and nutritionists are lying to us because they are funded by Crisco. Or whoever.
As Gillespie seems to feel free to cherry pick his research, I feel equally at liberty to cherry pick his book.
1. Yes, we do eat too much sugar. Yes, it does make us fat.
2. Natural and unprocessed is best, no question about it. Processed foods are chock full of hidden sugar, additives and seed oils (the Lord Voldemort of the nutrition world, according to Gillespie).
3. Yes, I'm sure that most of these additives are not good for us in the long term and are making us very sick in many ways.
But that's the end of my agreement with Gillespie.
He's simply plain wrong on exercise and shows a complete lack of understanding of exercise physiology. His idea that 30 minutes of strenuous exercise is pointless because you'll only burn the calories in a Tim Tam ignores the afterburn effect of exercise, building muscle, losing fat and the effect on metabolism, and although he rattles off a tiny paragraph about some of the other effects of exercise, he exhorts his reader to lie on the couch and read his book instead of going for a walk.
His list of foods you can eat and not eat reads like most of the fad diets he poo-poos in his book.
His insistence that all saturated fat is good (lash into the butter, lads!) - sounds like a quick route to a heart attack to me.
As for me, well, call me old-fashioned, but I will not change anything after reading this. I'll still try and stay away from processed foods (while still raiding the fridge at work for the odd Tim Tam), I'll keep using butter and olive oil to fry (but as little as possible), and I'll keep eating a wide range of foods, lots of fruit and vegetables, and enjoying daily exercise for its many benefits.
David Gillespie - just another fad diet book.
Really?
I picked this up, read a few chapters that interested me most (there is a fair bit of "technical" hoo-hah), and skimmed the rest.
Gillespie's drum is that we eat too much sugar (well, yeah), polyunsaturated fats, particularly seed oils, are reallyreallyreally bad for us and will give us cancer, and nutritionists are lying to us because they are funded by Crisco. Or whoever.
As Gillespie seems to feel free to cherry pick his research, I feel equally at liberty to cherry pick his book.
1. Yes, we do eat too much sugar. Yes, it does make us fat.
2. Natural and unprocessed is best, no question about it. Processed foods are chock full of hidden sugar, additives and seed oils (the Lord Voldemort of the nutrition world, according to Gillespie).
3. Yes, I'm sure that most of these additives are not good for us in the long term and are making us very sick in many ways.
But that's the end of my agreement with Gillespie.
He's simply plain wrong on exercise and shows a complete lack of understanding of exercise physiology. His idea that 30 minutes of strenuous exercise is pointless because you'll only burn the calories in a Tim Tam ignores the afterburn effect of exercise, building muscle, losing fat and the effect on metabolism, and although he rattles off a tiny paragraph about some of the other effects of exercise, he exhorts his reader to lie on the couch and read his book instead of going for a walk.
His list of foods you can eat and not eat reads like most of the fad diets he poo-poos in his book.
His insistence that all saturated fat is good (lash into the butter, lads!) - sounds like a quick route to a heart attack to me.
As for me, well, call me old-fashioned, but I will not change anything after reading this. I'll still try and stay away from processed foods (while still raiding the fridge at work for the odd Tim Tam), I'll keep using butter and olive oil to fry (but as little as possible), and I'll keep eating a wide range of foods, lots of fruit and vegetables, and enjoying daily exercise for its many benefits.
David Gillespie - just another fad diet book.
March 15, 2012
Sub-titled, "How the Diet Industry is Making You Sick, Fat, and Poor."
See http://sweetpoison.com.au/
Full of very scary information about issues that affect the health of us all. I found it rather too technical for my taste in parts, though I can understand the author's reasons.
It's almost overwhelming, but I believe this book should be widely disseminated and absorbed by all. We need to take a stand for our health and survival against the tide of greed that has just about swamped us.
David Gillespie has certainly stirred up a hornets' nest in Australia and the debate about sugar makes the news and discussion fora almost daily.
It's interesting that dietitians and nutritionists seem to be so opposed to the evidence Gillespie presents. I will continue to follow the debate with interest.
See http://sweetpoison.com.au/
Full of very scary information about issues that affect the health of us all. I found it rather too technical for my taste in parts, though I can understand the author's reasons.
It's almost overwhelming, but I believe this book should be widely disseminated and absorbed by all. We need to take a stand for our health and survival against the tide of greed that has just about swamped us.
David Gillespie has certainly stirred up a hornets' nest in Australia and the debate about sugar makes the news and discussion fora almost daily.
It's interesting that dietitians and nutritionists seem to be so opposed to the evidence Gillespie presents. I will continue to follow the debate with interest.
August 29, 2024
Just pseudoscience. His assertion that he’s a lawyer and therefore only works with facts is hilarious but then it’s obvious he’s lying because where the hell are the citations? Also he genuinely thinks the sun doesn’t cause melanoma. Sure, the diet industry profits off of an insecurity they created, and sure, losing weight is hard. Eliminating sugar and demonizing seed oils don’t really do anything except make you miserable and paranoid.
November 2, 2012
This could be a life changing book.
I found it fairly straightforward to read, an even amusing in places although I have to admit to skimming over a few of the "science bits".
I want to believe the findings and experience of David Gillespie wholeheartedly but am hesitating because a. it seems so simplistic and obvious and b. because it goes against everything almost everyone else is saying about our health and diet.
Give up sugar and seed oils and get healthier, thinner.... It's got to be worth a go.
Does anyone know whether this book has been properly debated or of doctors/scientists who support Gillespie's beliefs?
I found it fairly straightforward to read, an even amusing in places although I have to admit to skimming over a few of the "science bits".
I want to believe the findings and experience of David Gillespie wholeheartedly but am hesitating because a. it seems so simplistic and obvious and b. because it goes against everything almost everyone else is saying about our health and diet.
Give up sugar and seed oils and get healthier, thinner.... It's got to be worth a go.
Does anyone know whether this book has been properly debated or of doctors/scientists who support Gillespie's beliefs?
September 17, 2013
This book is a must read for anyone interested in improving their health. David Gillespie just states the facts about the foods we eat. It was very informative and has certainly given me lots to think about regarding the sugar and oils that are in our food.
February 13, 2013
Very interesting, give up sugar and seed oils, basically, makes sense
March 7, 2013
Very eye opening. He's also quite funny at times. Everyone should try this book. Even if you don't agree with it in the end.
January 28, 2014
A fascinating read. Everybody who thinks they know something about nutrition should read it and weep...
April 14, 2014
This book will change your life. Seriously.
February 17, 2013
If you didn't know that refined sugars aren't good for you, especially if you'd like to lose weight, then maybe this book will be informative to some degree. I'd really warn about the other advise delivered by David - a lawyer who's attempted to summarise medical information, a subject in which he has no training or experience. He promises that you will lose weight without exercising as long as you cut out sugar from your diet and goes on to advise that animal fats are not harmful and all nutritional supplements are unnecessary bogus.....
Having read material written by trained, medical professionals such as T. Colin Campbell (The China Study) and Hirmo Shinya (The Enzyme Factor) who have drawn on their many years of clinical experience and own, independent research in the field of health, nutrition and disease (both MDs) I understand David's many proclamations to be false and very misguided. If you truly want to improve your health, lose weight and live longer read either or both of those books and you will find that unlike what David claims:
Milk and dairy is not a good source of calcium for humans as it is acid forming and drains the body of as many or more minerals as it contains.
Animal protein is not good for humans and not necessary to include in your diet.
Some supplements can be very helpful in some instances and most of us could use extra digestive enzymes.
David shuns various industries and charities for profiteering and taking advantage of vulnerable people by offering a quick, albeit useless, fix. He clearly forgot those who write books on subjects which they have little knowledge of for the purpose of making money from the same vulnerable people. Don't waste your time!
If you want to know how it really works, read 'The China Study' or 'The Enzyme Factor' or, even better, both!
Having read material written by trained, medical professionals such as T. Colin Campbell (The China Study) and Hirmo Shinya (The Enzyme Factor) who have drawn on their many years of clinical experience and own, independent research in the field of health, nutrition and disease (both MDs) I understand David's many proclamations to be false and very misguided. If you truly want to improve your health, lose weight and live longer read either or both of those books and you will find that unlike what David claims:
Milk and dairy is not a good source of calcium for humans as it is acid forming and drains the body of as many or more minerals as it contains.
Animal protein is not good for humans and not necessary to include in your diet.
Some supplements can be very helpful in some instances and most of us could use extra digestive enzymes.
David shuns various industries and charities for profiteering and taking advantage of vulnerable people by offering a quick, albeit useless, fix. He clearly forgot those who write books on subjects which they have little knowledge of for the purpose of making money from the same vulnerable people. Don't waste your time!
If you want to know how it really works, read 'The China Study' or 'The Enzyme Factor' or, even better, both!
April 23, 2014
Promoted as an expose of diet myths, lies and general nonsense peddled by those with vested interests, this book is written by a lawyer with a vested interest in selling books I suspect.
OK maybe some of the stuff he quotes is true, or half true, or a quarter true. When it comes to statistics and quoted studies, you can almost prove the moon is square if you’re clever enough (and quote enough statistics and studies to bore the pants off the reader to the extent they don’t give a damn either way any more).
If it’s seriously true, as he’d have us believe, that we’re totally wasting our time and money on vitamins and added nutrients of any type, exercise and trying to avoid fat, then we’ve been conned big time.
Unfortunately when anyone takes this radical a stance for or against something about which a whole host of other more eminently qualified experts disagree, I start to see warning signs. Lies - big, fat, small, skinny or whatever probably sprinkle the pages of this book as liberally as they do those of the books he criticises.
At the very least, the distortions, mis-representations and hyperbole are such that if the latest fad diet doesn’t make you sick, this book is very likely to.
OK maybe some of the stuff he quotes is true, or half true, or a quarter true. When it comes to statistics and quoted studies, you can almost prove the moon is square if you’re clever enough (and quote enough statistics and studies to bore the pants off the reader to the extent they don’t give a damn either way any more).
If it’s seriously true, as he’d have us believe, that we’re totally wasting our time and money on vitamins and added nutrients of any type, exercise and trying to avoid fat, then we’ve been conned big time.
Unfortunately when anyone takes this radical a stance for or against something about which a whole host of other more eminently qualified experts disagree, I start to see warning signs. Lies - big, fat, small, skinny or whatever probably sprinkle the pages of this book as liberally as they do those of the books he criticises.
At the very least, the distortions, mis-representations and hyperbole are such that if the latest fad diet doesn’t make you sick, this book is very likely to.
August 22, 2012
The claims of scientific research to back the claims in this book are ridiculous. Spending at least five minutes on pubmed or google scholar will show how much David Gillespie distorts and misquotes the research - looking at reviews articles will put his quotes into perspective and show how much cherry-picking goes on to 'support' the conclusions!
It is one thing to say that you have had a personal experience and found something, it is another to suggest that this information is cutting edge science and that those who disagree aren't up to date or influenced by commercial interests.
An extensive expose of the myths in this book can be found at David Gillespie's Big Fat Lies
It is one thing to say that you have had a personal experience and found something, it is another to suggest that this information is cutting edge science and that those who disagree aren't up to date or influenced by commercial interests.
An extensive expose of the myths in this book can be found at David Gillespie's Big Fat Lies
June 4, 2014
Awesome book that debunks many myths about nutrition, and in particular sugar, but also vitamins and oils (I don't find the oils side as compelling personally).
David Gillespie, the author, is an ex-lawyer. He uses his evidence based training to look at the scientific evidence against sugar, vitamins, and oils. Particularly of interest he interweaves history and economics to show how we started down this path and who profits from it; John Grisham couldn't even make something this insidious up.
If you find the work of Dr Lustig interesting (youtube - bitter truth about sugar, 60 minutes, Time magazine etc), then read this as it gives you a more "repeatable" story.
David Gillespie, the author, is an ex-lawyer. He uses his evidence based training to look at the scientific evidence against sugar, vitamins, and oils. Particularly of interest he interweaves history and economics to show how we started down this path and who profits from it; John Grisham couldn't even make something this insidious up.
If you find the work of Dr Lustig interesting (youtube - bitter truth about sugar, 60 minutes, Time magazine etc), then read this as it gives you a more "repeatable" story.
June 22, 2012
A compelling analysis of the evidence (or lack thereof) about the role of polyunsaturated fats in our health and the potential for them to cause serious harm. If it is true, then everyone needs to know. I would really like to hear a nutritionist or health person's genuine response to the arguments in this book (rather than just assertions that because of what is currently taught he must be wrong).
Amazing book.
Amazing book.
January 12, 2019
This book is a combination of the “Sweet Poison” (aka Fructose is bad) and “Toxic Oil” (aka seed oils are bad) books he has written.
I am on board with the anti-Fructose, but still trying to get my head around the seed oil issue. I agree in general with his idea, but some of it is just ‘too hard’ to be strict enough to avoid all the bad things. And is avoiding some ‘good enough’?
Definitely well worth the read, and a good long hard think about.
I am on board with the anti-Fructose, but still trying to get my head around the seed oil issue. I agree in general with his idea, but some of it is just ‘too hard’ to be strict enough to avoid all the bad things. And is avoiding some ‘good enough’?
Definitely well worth the read, and a good long hard think about.
July 30, 2012
Once you read his previous book, it is a bit repetitive. The advice on vitamins and minerals is worth reading. His advice on sugar seems interesting and worth a try. The new stuff on seed oils I am still not convinced, but I am convinced that saturated fats are not the problem, but rather sugar or the amount of sugar in the modern diet.
June 1, 2012
Subtitled "How the diet industry is making you Sick, Fat and Poor". The book was recommended to me by a colleague after a discussion about how margarine is actually worse for you than butter. Quite controversial in places, but interesting reading so far.
June 24, 2012
This is an excellent book, with credible arguments about why we should not use sugar or seed oils. It will certainly change the way I view things from now on, and I agree - it should be mandatory reading for all, especially those in government and in the food industry.
February 24, 2015
this could definitely change your life.
As my health can only be improved by doing the very sensible things he suggests ( don't eat sugar, avoid seed oils) I will be doing so.
We are getting sicker in the West, this book goes someway to explaining why. A brilliant book.
As my health can only be improved by doing the very sensible things he suggests ( don't eat sugar, avoid seed oils) I will be doing so.
We are getting sicker in the West, this book goes someway to explaining why. A brilliant book.
April 27, 2012
This book makes so much sense. Explodes myths. Offers advice backed up by science. Entertaining. Easy to read.
May 13, 2012
An interesting, thought proving read, backed up by an analysis of research studies
September 16, 2018
If you are interested in your health it is a must read.
October 22, 2024
Gillespie has been proved right in a lot of this, 12 years later, so the claims of ‘fad’ are proved wrong.
My GP has done a lot of extra training in nutrition and now runs a low-carb clinic. She would disagree with him about the benefits of lowering your carbs, but not going no-carb.
As usual, he’s entertaining and thorough. People run him down because he’s a lawyer but that makes lawyer writers thorough and careful in what they say. Most GPs only do about two weeks on nutrition yet we listen to them! So glad my doc has improved this by her studies.
Our health being sacrificed on the altar of the holy dollar.
My GP has done a lot of extra training in nutrition and now runs a low-carb clinic. She would disagree with him about the benefits of lowering your carbs, but not going no-carb.
As usual, he’s entertaining and thorough. People run him down because he’s a lawyer but that makes lawyer writers thorough and careful in what they say. Most GPs only do about two weeks on nutrition yet we listen to them! So glad my doc has improved this by her studies.
Our health being sacrificed on the altar of the holy dollar.
January 9, 2020
I skim read this one as it's a bit dull and not particularly well written, plus the author clearly cherry picked his 'evidence base' to suit his personal bias (not surprising for anything to do with the food & diet industry!). While some of the information was logical and useful it's nothing new or earth shattering. I also think he did the idea of exercising for health a disservice, focussing on it not being helpful for weight loss (which may be true for many but not all, and numerous scientific studies have demonstrated exercise is good for overall health and wellbeing).
January 18, 2024
Thank you
I have been trying to sort out a better diet, based on pre-industrial food processing. Not Paleo, more like 1910 vintage food consumption habits.
This book imparts the theoretical and practical knowledge to structure a healthy diet, devoid of industrialized food stuffs. The content is accessible, and I know the author is a lawyer, but there is a bit of teacher in his communication style.
Thanks for the direction.
I have been trying to sort out a better diet, based on pre-industrial food processing. Not Paleo, more like 1910 vintage food consumption habits.
This book imparts the theoretical and practical knowledge to structure a healthy diet, devoid of industrialized food stuffs. The content is accessible, and I know the author is a lawyer, but there is a bit of teacher in his communication style.
Thanks for the direction.
May 6, 2018
If you want a brief but fair enough- concise, read over some of the modern food woes read this. It’s a good all-rounder and leaves a lot to consider about your next meal!
January 13, 2013
Well, this one is due back at the library tomorrow. I'm 3/4 of the way through. I don't see me finishing it.
It was okay. The authors general attitude to exercise was annoying. Every mention of exercise came along with some remark about donning on the lycra. I got a vibe from the guy that he just really doesn't like exercise. Which to me is just about as useful as a grown adult who declares 'I don't eat vegetables.' Maybe he never found a form of exercise he enjoyed.
The info was alright. Nothing I didn't already know though.
It was okay. The authors general attitude to exercise was annoying. Every mention of exercise came along with some remark about donning on the lycra. I got a vibe from the guy that he just really doesn't like exercise. Which to me is just about as useful as a grown adult who declares 'I don't eat vegetables.' Maybe he never found a form of exercise he enjoyed.
The info was alright. Nothing I didn't already know though.
July 29, 2013
I don't find that this books adds new information. I am already very much aware about the dangers of sugar and oils. I had hoped that this book would add to my knowledge, but found it very confusing to read. Most of the book is about surveys, statistics and test results. I don't feel I gained something from reading this work.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 7, 2014
Oil ain't oil!
In motor engines or our corporeal ones.
That' lesson #1 learned here.
Otherwise quite a jump-start & stall-out book filled with salient facts about nutrition, weight and health, but no clear structure.
A good thumb-through and recommended reading even if you skip bits.
In motor engines or our corporeal ones.
That' lesson #1 learned here.
Otherwise quite a jump-start & stall-out book filled with salient facts about nutrition, weight and health, but no clear structure.
A good thumb-through and recommended reading even if you skip bits.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 35 reviews