Are Red Meat Warnings Based on Flawed Science? Dr. David Klurfeld on Nutrition Myths and Industry Bias

In this episode, I sit down with Dr. David Klurfeld—longtime USDA scientist and one of the few insiders to publicly challenge the WHO's classification of red meat as a carcinogen. We go deep into the flawed evidence behind the infamous 2015 IARC report, why nutritional epidemiology often fails to prove causality, and how a small group of researchers helped shape global policy with low-quality science. If you've ever felt confused about meat, saturated fat, or dietary guidelines, this conversation will help you think critically about what “counts” as evidence—and who gets to decide.

We cover:

• Dr. Klurfeld’s personal journey and lessons from a career in public health
• Why the 2015 IARC red meat classification was based on weak and inconsistent evidence
• How observational studies and “allegiance bias” mislead nutrition science
• The politics of dietary guidelines and the role of the USDA and WHO
• What the media got wrong—and why red meat remains a nutrient-dense food

Whether you're a clinician, dietitian, or simply trying to make better nutrition decisions, this episode is a powerful reminder that bias, groupthink and weak data can distort science and mislead the public. We need to be discerning about the nutrition and health advice we follow.

Who is Dr. David Klurfeld?

Dr. David Klurfeld is a nutritional scientist and former National Program Leader for Human Nutrition at the USDA’s Agricultural Research Service. He also served as Professor and Chair of Nutrition and Food Science at Wayne State University and Associate Editor of The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. He has authored more than 200 scientific publications and was one of 22 experts invited to the 2015 IARC working group on red meat and cancer. He is a longtime advocate for scientific integrity in public health policy.

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Find Dr. David Klurfeld at:

• Indiana University Bloomington - https://publichealth.indiana.edu/about/directory/David-Klurfeld-dmklurfe.html
• Google Scholar - https://scholar.google.ca/citations?user=Ym5Og20AAAAJ&hl=en
• LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/david-klurfeld-812845209/

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