Tell me what blood you have and I'll tell you what to eat. The American naturopath Peter D'Adamo has built a career on this theory. Over the years, his books have made proselytes: the followers of blood group diet, in fact, who choose foods 'according to genetics'. They're right? “In an era when the concept of personalization has gained ground in many aspects of life, from clothing to medicine,” D'Adamo's proposed scheme “offered an attractive promise of personalized nutrition based on a seemingly scientific biological foundation “. But for those who wonder if there is evidence to confirm this statement, “to date the answer is no”. This is explained by the anti-fake news doctors of the 'Doctor, but is it true that…?' portal, edited by Fnomceo.
“The theory behind the blood group diet – the anti-hoax doctors remind us – starts from the premise that the blood classification system into groups A, B, AB and 0 reflects the history of human nutrition and maintains that the benefits for health resulting from nutrition would be influenced by the blood group to which one belongs.” As? “0 individuals are considered the 'hunters'”, genetically predisposed to “follow a diet rich in animal proteins, because 0 would have been the most common blood group among the first humans, who lived as hunters and gatherers and ate mainly meat”. People with group A would instead be “the 'farmers', because the appearance of this group coincided with the birth of agriculture”, and “they would enjoy optimal health if they followed a diet based on foods of plant origin and without of meat”. As for group B, it is that of the 'nomads', who as such should eat “the best of the animal and vegetable kingdom” and would be “the only ones who tolerate milk and dairy products”. Finally, for group AB, referred to as “the 'enigma', the food recommendations would be a middle ground between those of group A and those of group B”.
Is it worth believing? “The blood group diet has been very successful – continues the analysis of the National Federation of Medical Associations – despite the medical-scientific community having expressed strongly contrary opinions about it. As concluded by a review of the scientific literature, published in 2013 in the journal 'American Journal of Clinical Nutrition', no scientific study has ever demonstrated that blood groups appeared following the evolution of new eating styles, nor that they are able to influence the health effects of a certain type of diet.” For the authors of the review, “further studies are needed which, within a specific blood group, allow us to compare the presumed benefits of the blood group diet with those of a standard diet”. In fact, none of the studies examined included a control group.
But if the blood type diet is scientifically unreliable, then why do many people who follow it say they feel better? For anti-fake news doctors, it depends on the fact that “the 4 dietary regimes recommended for different groups satisfy, in principle, the principles and rules of healthy eating”. Among other things, “often those who decide to follow the blood group diet change their diet in a positive sense: they prefer whole grains, give up ultra-processed foods rich in simple sugars and increase the consumption of fruit and vegetables. But the consequences The positive aspects of these choices – the experts point out – are independent of blood type”.
“A study published in 2014 on the pages of 'Plos One' – the anti-hoax doctors clarify – examined around 1,500 people, demonstrating that a diet rich in vegetables, such as that recommended for group A, reduces cholesterol levels and triglycerides in the blood, blood pressure and other cardiovascular risk factors, even if people who follow this diet belong to groups B, AB or 0”. Not only that: the study also shows that “even the diets recommended for group 0 and group AB positively influence some of these parameters, regardless of the blood group they belong to”. And “two randomized clinical trials involving overweight adults also reached the same conclusions: a diet rich in fruit and vegetables is good for your health, without there being a link with blood type”.
Are there any contraindications for those who still want to embrace D'Adamo's theses? “As Harvard Medical School warns – doctors observe 'Doctor, is it true that…?' – following a diet based on your blood type could lead to restrictive food choices or heavily interfere with some personal values. For example, those who belong to group 0 and follow a vegetarian or vegan diet could find themselves in difficulty knowing they have to consume quantities high levels of meat and animal proteins to stay healthy. Furthermore, the blood group diet is not limited to strictly dietary recommendations, but gives a series of recommendations which also concern the consumption of supplements, herbs and probiotics”, as well as “the choice of which physical activity is most suitable for each blood group. The risk, in this case – conclude the experts – is to spend money unnecessarily or, worse, to follow recommendations which, in the presence of particular health conditions, over time could prove to be harmful”.
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