BEIJING, Feb. 22 -- New studies indicate a low-fat diet does not reduce the risk of cancer and calcium supplements do little to prevent broken bones. This finding is unlikely to change consumers' habits and may only add to confusion about the link between diet and health.

    Last year, researchers have released a series of medical studies that fly in the face of conventional wisdom, which holds that weight loss, nutritional supplements and diets low in fat and calories help fight disease and prolong life.

    But three studies in the Journal of the American Medical Association published earlier this month showed that women who ate less fat and more fruits and vegetables did not reduce their risk of cancer or heart disease. And last week's New England Journal of Medicine found that calcium and vitamin D supplements were unlikely to prevent broken bones in women as they age.

    The studies prompted headlines suggesting consumers would take the news as permission to eat as they please, but experts said that was unlikely.

    "Consumers are used to the fact that there are often multiple medical studies coming out that often have conflicting findings," said Michael Allenson, one of the heads of the food industry consulting firm Technomic. "Until they see a greater consistency ... they are likely not to make a change."

    Consistency, however, appears to be a long way off as theories about diet and health are constantly changing. In the last two decades, fats and carbohydrates have alternately been praised and demonized by health experts. Most recently, fear of carbohydrates like pasta and bread led to a boom in low-carb, high-protein diets in 2004 that then vanished.

    The headline-grabbing studies against a background of diet trends like low-carb, low-sugar and low-fat force consumers to sift through masses of conflicting as well as confusing information and ultimately draw their own conclusions.

    However, experts said consumers can rest assured that the conventional wisdom about maintaining a healthy weight and eating a balanced diet is more likely to help than hurt.

(Source: Shenzhen Daily/Agencies)