The Zoomer Report: The China Study

It was an obscure book written by a father-son research team about the benefits of a plant-based diet. But The China Study, became a runaway bestseller. It’s based on a series of studies conducted in rural China and Taiwan through a 20-year partnership of Cornell University, Oxford University and the Chinese Academy of Preventive Medicine. The findings show that high consumption of animal-based foods is associated with more chronic disease, while those who ate primarily a plant-based diet were the healthiest.

To everyone’s surprise the book has sold 500,000 copies, with the likes of President Bill Clinton talking about it. He lost 24 pounds by converting to a plant-based diet in hopes of improving his heart health. He gave up dairy, switching to almond milk, and says he lives primarily on beans and other legumes, vegetables and fruit, although he will, on rare occasions, eat fish.

Co-author T. Colin Campbell, believes North America’s health woes can be solved by plant-based eating. He doesn’t like to use the words “vegan” or “vegetarian” because they have ideological connotations. But those are the diets he advocates.

Photo ©iStockphoto.com/ Donald Erickson

READ MORE ZOOMER REPORTS:
The Zoomer Report: Diet and Sleep
The Zoomer Report: Daily Aspirin and Cancer Risk
The Zoomer Report: Belly Fat and Bones

Libby ZnaimerAbout The Zoomer Report

Libby Znaimer, a prominent Canadian journalist specializing in business, politics, and lifestyle issues, is producer and host of The Zoomer Report, a special feature on topics of interest to baby boomers and the 50+. It covers everything from health and wealth to leisure and volunteerism, from the special vantage point of the generation that has changed society in its wake.

Ms. Znaimer is also Vice-President of News and Information for Classical 96.3FM and AM740. Her first book, “In Cancerland – Living Well Is The Best Revenge” – was published in October 2007 by Key Porter.

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