Nutritional Biochemist, Dr. T. Colin Campbell, PhD., has been focused on researching the association between diet and disease for over 60 years. Dr. Campbell is most widely known for his work as one of the lead scientists on The China Study: one of the most comprehensive studies of health and nutrition ever conducted.
About Dr. T. Colin Campbell
Dr. Campbell grew up on a dairy farm and was the first in his family to attend college. An accomplished and successful researcher, Dr. Campbell boasts an impressive resume:
- Bachelor’s Degree in pre-veterinary medicine from Pennsylvania State University (1956)
- attended one year of veterinary school at University of Georgia before receiving a scholarship and research opportunity from Cornell
- Masters degree from Cornell University (1957)
- Ph.D. in nutrition, biochemistry, and toxicology from Cornell University (1962)
- MIT research associate (1963)
- Professor of Biochemistry and Nutrition, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University (1965)
- Professor at Cornell (1975)
- served on U.S. Senate Select Committee on Nutrition (read more about how the government tried to silence Dr. Campbell’s recommendation to eat less meat and more fruits, vegetables, and whole grains in The China Study.)
- research in laboratory experiments
- research in large-scale human studies
- active participant on development of national and international nutrition policy
- Founded T. Colin Campbell Center for Nutritional Studies
- Founded and assisted in developing online Plant Based Nutrition Certification, in partnership with eCornell
- Authored over 300 research papers
Dr. Campbell’s studies and research
Dr. Campbell’s study findings have shown a link between consumption of animal-based foods and higher instances of heart disease, diabetes, cancer, and death.
In addition, he coined the term whole food plant based (WFPB). Furthermore, Dr. Campbell asserts a WFPB diet is best for our overall health and wellness.
The China Study research
Over the course of 20 years, Dr. Campbell and his team organized and conducted what has been described as the most comprehensive study of health and nutrition ever done. And what they found was extraordinary.
The China-Cornell-Oxford Project, as it was originally called, consisted of researchers from the Chinese Academy of Preventative Medicine, Cornell University, and the University of Oxford. Dr. Campbell served as one of the study directors.
The study looked at mortality rates from cancer and other chronic diseases in 65 countries in China between 1973-1975. Those data findings were correlated with dietary surveys and blood work from 100 people in each of these 65 countries between 1983-1984.
The China Study examines the link between the consumption of animal products and chronic illnesses, such as heart disease, diabetes, and certain cancers (breast, prostate, and bowel).
In conclusion, the study found that those countries with a high consumption of animal-based foods were more likely to have higher death rates from heart disease, diabetes, and cancer. On the other hand, the researchers concluded that those countries who consumed more whole food plant based foods were less likely to die from chronic diseases and cancer.
And in summary, the research found that people who ate a predominantly whole food plant based diet:
- avoided getting certain diseases and cancers
- decreased their chances of getting certain diseases and cancers
- reduced the development of numerous diseases
The China Study book
The China Study is very well written and was co-authored with his son, Dr. Thomas M. Campbell, MD. No medical or laboratory background is needed to understand this book; they have done a great job of making the information easy to comprehend.
Charts, graphs, and visual aids are used throughout the book. Additionally, the authors do a great job of laying the foundation of how certain ways of public thinking came to be.
They also tackle the subject (and provide first-hand narratives) of why the U.S. government and “big medicine” do not want these facts publicized.
One of the first books I read after converting to a plant based diet, and truthfully one of the greatest books I have ever read. It gave me a great starting point for researching further into WFPB eating and the politics behind a traditional Western diet.
Whole: Rethinking the Science of Nutrition
Another great read by Dr. Campbell. The China Study focused on the evidence that a whole food plant based diet is the healthiest human diet. Whole focuses on why it’s difficult to bring this evidence to light and what still needs to happen for change to take place.
To summarize the theme of the book, Dr. Campbell states, “The healthcare system in America is really the disease-care system.”
You can also find Dr. Campbell featured in the documentaries:
- Eating You Alive
- Food Matters
- Forks Over Knives
- PlantPure Nation
- Vegucated
Have you read The China Study or Whole? Let me know what you thought of them in the comments below!