I think it’s clear from all recent studies that dietary cholesteral has no effect or even lowers blood cholesteral. Its possible that in some cases blood cholesteral causes a heart attack, but actually this isn’t proven.

The reason people mention France or even the Massai tribe, is that their diet is high in saturated fat and in the case of the Massai almost exclusively. Yet they have a low incedence of blood cholesteral and almost no heart disease. If cholesteral was the smoking gun then there would be a direct corelation between diet and heart disease increase, which there isn’t.

Even in the west, our diets are much less fatty than ever before, yet heart disease is still increasing. You would expect the opposite.

Please would someone actually quote some scientific studies that show easting cholesteral or saturated fat is actually bad for you.

You’re wrong, the reason you’re fat is because you haven’t made the effort to change yourself.

Energy in < energy out = weight loss, bro

Here's a meta-study compiling the results of 15 scientific studies.
http://www.benthamscience.com/open/tosmj/articles/V004/17TOSMJ.pdf

Oh look, here's another one but this one analyses the results of 493 seperate, scientifically valid studies. 493 studies, if that doesn't convince you, nothing will.
http://www.indiana.edu/~k562/articles/obesity/review%20Miller%201997.pdf

And here's one showing "significant decreases in baseline weight and percentage overweight"
http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0022347685805060

What's that? You want more? Well here you go
http://archinte.ama-assn.org/cgi/content/abstract/164/1/31
http://psycnet.apa.org/journals/ccp/65/2/269/
http://ukpmc.ac.uk/abstract/MED/11740312/reload=0;jsessionid=zaIStwSCK7CodvBezF8B.8
http://ukpmc.ac.uk/abstract/MED/8963358

As for your sources
1. Yes, the transplantation of gut flora without change in diet or exercise will increase mice weight by making them more efficient at processing food. That's why you diet and exercise, to balance that.

2. Dr Friedman's research into leptin simply shows that some mice have greater pleasure response to sugar. So yeah, mice with this mutation gain weight because they eat moe because they enjoy eating more. Are you a mouse? Are you entirely unable to say no? Because the research doesn't support that.

3. As for Linda Bacon and health at every size, she is an unscientific quack who is willfully blind and, in a just world, would be dragged in front of a court for putting lives at risk. All she says is that "research shows" "studies prove" and that is not enough.
I quote, "Why should you challenge
[the concept that weight loss is possible] when they appear so well-established and well-supported?
Because we’re losing the war on obesity."
Not because weight loss is impossible but because it's too hard, America's growing fatter and it's just too much effort to change it so let's not bother. That's not a scientific argument I want any part it.

I have some observations…. “OBSERVATIONS!!!”

First… some of your egos are really tied up in your arguments! I’ve seen some really defensive and even mean-spirited quips here, all in order to be RIGHT… the RIGHTEST of the bunch!

It seems, despite the isolated occurrences of MODEST intakes of grains, that “paleo man” (if you can indeed delineate such a creature in history from all of the subcultures across the planet) ate FEW grains or legumes.

It also seems to me that we are opportunists if nothing else. Again, MODEST intakes of grains and legumes, processed the way our agricultural forefathers did, by soaking and cooking “slow & low”, ALLOWED for a healthier diet and the reduction of phytates than the “1-Minute Oats” modern method does. But it also seems to me that we are confusing the ability to overcome starvation (before we’re able to shoot out a few of our next generation) by the inclusion of grains on a larger scale, with “optimum” health. My poor teeth are at least somewhat evidential, or at least in keeping with, the idea that a high whole-grain diet is NOT optimal but it has given me good dumps each morning which I could point to and say, “YAY!!” (sorry for that but it is illustrative)

I have a boss who is a big ol’ fat and out of shape Italian who eats a lot of pasta. I can measurably see him die each day as he comes in the door complaining about this and that… his diebetes, his shoulder, his heart, his knees. He looks and acts like Peter Griffen!! LOL…. Classic PASTA is not a substitute for other, healthy ways of processing and cooking grains! It is GLUE!!!

As for a Vegan diet, it has had to evolve over the years to MORE FULLY accommodate the issues of anti-nutrients in grains and legumes. For the most part it has done this admirably, albeit through being very careful and aware of balance and methods of cooking (but of course! Duh!) rather than a casual adherence, and any of the strict and thoughtful vegans I know have bodies that I envy. (although a lot of that could be said as coming from my friends’ active lifestyles)

As per the NON-dietary reason of “compassion” for eating Vegan, please let me digress for a moment. I believe that one can raise farm animals compassionately and still kill them and do a FAR MORE compassionate job of slaughter than almost all carnivores on the planet. (end of digression)

One more observation… DIET ALONE CANNOT SOLVE ALL HEALTH ISSUES!!! And I would not even simply state that you have to add exercise. It seems that the healthiest people I know have the healthiest of “lifestyles”, including exercise, mindset, attitude, invigorating and happy human interaction, slow and deliberate eating habits (THOROUGHLY MASTICATE YOUR FOOD, PEOPLE!) , a goodly amount of vacation, rest and relaxation time, playtime, a spiritual element to their lives, recuperative sleep, a fun sexual relationship… LOVE!!!! ALL of these not-gastric elements should be part of our “diets”!!!

Finally… at 52 years old… according to our paleo history, I’ve ALREADY lived a “long” and relatively healthy life. I think that the occasional (operative word, OCCASIONAL) Red Robins’ hamburger and fries and red beer (a nod to BodyByBeer) is in order!!!

Have a great life, people!!!

Warm Regards,
Christopher Grove
http://www.CloserThanBreathing.com (yes, a plug)