So this is an issue that I often think about before posting a blog: "Is this title TRUE?" And, almost equally importantly, "Is this title INTERESTING?"https://twitter.com/stevegoulet/status/1007266012486684672 …
For the green tea issue, I've been doing quite a bit of reading. There have been a relatively small number of studies on the subject, but they are quite well summarized in 4 systematic reviews
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The first, from 2009, found a small but statistically significant benefit. This was the one cited by Dr. Fung, and it's (in my professional opinion), the weakest of the bunch
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The strongest, from Cochrane in 2012, found no benefit from green tea consumption, either clinically or statistically
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Another in 2014 and the most recent in 2017 had similar conclusions (although the 2017 one was not directly about weight loss)
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Now, if I were writing a scientific paper, or a formal literature review, I'd probably say something like this (from the 2012 Cochrane systematic review)pic.twitter.com/bWnHH5cgKX
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But this is a terrible way to convey information. What they're essentially saying here is that green tea doesn't help with weightloss, but couched in more scienc-y termshttps://twitter.com/GidMK/status/1007390893203075072 …
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More importantly, "Best Evidence Indicates That There Is No Difference Between Green Tea And A Placebo Control" makes for a terrible blog title
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So when I'm writing my blog, I'll try to say something that is: a) entirely factual b) attention-grabbing c) not absurdly click-baity
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It is a fine line to tread, and not one I always get right, but in this case I think that the title "Green Tea Won't Make You Lose Weight" would be entirely supported by the evidence and not in any way overstating the facts
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End of conversation
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