A Sunday, November 27, 2005 article by Jennifer D'Angelo describes books touting French and Japanese diets but notes the skepticism of Dr. Ruth Kava:
But Dr. Ruth Kava, [nutrition] director of the American Council on Science and Health Nutrition, is skeptical.
"You have to look at, is it true and why?" she said. "If they're not fat, what's their smoking rate? Exercise rate? It may have little to do with eating. It might be some genetic or environmental factor. It may be that their lifestyle is different"...
But Kava says Americans won't get skinny just by doing as the French or Japanese do.
"Most of us won't take up either of their lifestyles," she said. "I think we have to adapt the American lifestyle to make it healthier. I don't know if you can import just a piece of somebody else's lifestyle and expect it to cure your ails. You can say, 'What is it about this diet that can help me improve mine?'"...
But Kava has her doubts.
"Gimmicks sell books. What's next, 'Swedish Women Live Forever'?"