The China Study: The Most Comprehensive Study of Nutrition Ever Conducted and the Startling Implications for Diet, Weight Loss and Long‑Term Health

A book by American nutritional biochemist T. Colin Campbell and his son Thomas M. Campbell II, first published in January 2005, based on the large-scale China‑Cornell‑Oxford project (1983–1990) involving dietary, blood biochemical and mortality data from 65 rural counties in China and Taiwan. In one comprehensive paragraph, the authors examine how correlations between high intake of animal protein—particularly casein from dairy and meat—and elevated mortality from cancer, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and other chronic illnesses point to the benefits of a whole‑food, plant-based diet rich in fiber and antioxidants. They support this with lab studies in rats showing reduced casein intake leads to lower cancer markers, epidemiological China data where minimal animal food consumption correlated with low chronic disease rates, and critique low-carb fad diets like Atkins. They advocate an integrative dietary approach, call out industry influence on nutrition research, and recommend vitamin B₁₂ supplementation for those avoiding animal products plus adequate vitamin D