Professor Timothy Noakes promotes a whole foods diet void of processing, sugars, grains, starches and industrial vegetable oils. These diets include animal and plant based sources including natural fats like monounsaturated and saturated.

Diets such as these address inflammation and oxidative stress by reducing the optional fuel dietary carbohydrates. Although a growing child has different caloric and nutrient demands compared to adults, removing unnecessary added empty calories from carbohydrates, sugars and processed foods while providing the necessary proteins, fats and micronutrients essential for growth and brain development provides benefit.

I see nothing controversial in Professor Noakes’ statements. Many randomized controlled trials over the last 15 years supports this approach addressing the epidemics of obesity, diabetes, and cardiovascular disease worldwide. To the contrary, the rapidly ageing low fat low calorie dietary guidelines (backed and heavily promoted by the junk food industry) now 30+ years old have failed pitifully when it comes to addressing the treatment and prevention of chronic disease.

As a family physician based in Denver Colorado I have been using the low carb high fat (LCHF) approach for my patients, including children, for over 15 years. We only see improved health, weight and metabolic markers using these types of diets.

I am in full support of Prof Noakes and his dietary advice. Just because his sound advice does not conform to a standard of care (backed by a half century of weak evidence and politics) that has failed miserably, this is no reason to publicly humiliate him or anyone else for that matter. The HPCSA will find no basis to substantiate this complaint.

Sincerely,

Jeffry N. Gerber, MD
Board certified family physician
Denver, Colorado, USA