Seth Roberts

Seth Roberts is a professor emeritus of psychology at the University of California, Berkeley and author of the bestselling book "The Shangri-La Diet". [http://sethroberts.net/about/index.html About the Author] on SethRoberts.net] Dubner and Levitt [http://www.nytimes.com/2005/09/11/magazine/11FREAK.html Does the Truth Lie Within?] The Accidental Diet, September 11, 2005.] He is well-known for his work in self-experimentation which has led to the discovery of his diet, multiple publications and a popular blog.Frauenfelder, Mark [http://www.boingboing.net/2008/06/01/seth-roberts-fascina.html Seth Roberts' fascinating self-experiments] June 1, 2008.]

Roberts's work has been featured in "The New York Times Magazine" and "The Scientist".Slack, Gordy [http://sethroberts.net/self-experiment/2007-03-01%20The%20Scientist%20%20The%20self-experimenter.txt The Self-Experimenter] Vol 21 | Issue 3 | Page 24] He was also a contributor to "Spy" and a member of the university’s Center for Weight and Health. [http://sethroberts.net/spy/index.html Seth Roberts:] Spy Magazine Articles] [http://www.scientificblogging.com/seth_roberts/interview_with_gary_taubes_part_7 Interview with Gary Taubes (Part 7)] February 7, 2008.]

elf-Experimentation

In the early 1980's, Roberts suffered from insomnia. Through self-experimentation, he set out to solve this problem by varying aspects of his lifestyle, like exercise and calcium intake.Minkel, JR [http://www.sciam.com/article.cfm?id=self-experimenter-free-from-insomnia Self-Experimenter freed himself from insomnia, acne, and love handles] "Scientific American", March 18, 2008.] After many failures to see an improvement in his sleep, he eventually discovered that delaying breakfast, seeing faces in the morning light, and standing solved this problem.Roberts, Seth [http://repositories.cdlib.org/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1315&context=postprints Self-experimentation as a source for new ideas:] Ten examples about sleep, mood, health, and weight, 2004.] When Roberts discovers a trend or solution, he typically looks backwards evolutionarily for an explanation. [ [http://www.nytimes.com/2005/09/11/magazine/11FREAK.html Does the Truth Lie Within?] Dubner and Levitt. New York Times Magazine. 9/11/2005 "Once he stumbled upon this solution, Roberts, like many scientists, looked back to the Stone Age for explication."] Roberts would later apply this mentality to solving problems in health, sleep, and mood, among other things.

The accuracy of Robert's conclusions have been questioned by scientists who challenge that his experiments lack a control group and are subject to various biases. [ [http://www.nytimes.com/2005/09/11/magazine/11FREAK.html Does the Truth Lie Within?] Dubner and Levitt. New York Times Magazine. 9/11/2005 "Many modern scientists dismiss it as being not nearly scientific enough: there is no obvious control group, and you can hardly run a double-blind experiment when the researcher and subject are the same person. But might the not-quite-scientific nature of self-experimentation also be a good thing? A great many laboratory-based scientific experiments, especially those in the medical field, are later revealed to have been marred by poor methodology or blatant self-interest."]

Roberts' has been called the "champion of self-experimentation" for his contributions to the field. Professor Tyler Cowen called Roberts' theme of experimenting on the self the "highest stage of science." [ [http://www.marginalrevolution.com/marginalrevolution/2007/02/all_my_life_for.html Self-Experimentation] "Seth realizes that the self is often the last thing we know and discovering the self is the highest stage of science not to mention performance art."]

The Shangri-La Diet

As a graduate student, Roberts studied animal learning, specifically "rat psychology." [http://www.thedietchannel.com/Shangri-La-Diet-Interview-with-Dr-Seth-Roberts.htm Interview with Author Dr. Seth Roberts] The Diet Channel] After Roberts read a report by Israel Ramirez studied the effect of saccharine on weight gain in rats, he thought of his new theory "in seconds."Ramirez, Israel [http://jn.nutrition.org/cgi/reprint/120/1/123 Stimulation of Energy Intake and Growth by Saccharine in Rats] September 25, 1989.] Roberts tried about ten different variations, such as eating sushi, eating foods with low glycemic index, and drinking vinegar, before arriving at the Shangri La Diet.

Roberts argues that weight is controlled by maintaining body fat at a certain amount, referred to as a "set point." When weight is below the set point, appetite decreases, and it takes less food to feel full. When weight is above the set point, appetite increases, and it takes more food to feel full.cite book
last= Roberts
first= Seth
title= The Shangri-La Diet: The No Hunger Eat Anything Weight-Loss Plan
publisher= Perigee Trade
date= April 24, 2007 -- note, can't find original publishing date
isbn= 0399533168] He further states that eating strongly flavored, quickly digested foods (like soda or donuts) can raise the set point, whereas flavorless, slowly digested foods (like sugar water, canola oil, extra light olive oil) can lower the set point. [http://sciencereview.berkeley.edu/articles/issue11/bookreview.pdf A Spoonful of Sugar] Book Review] These flavorless foods must be consumed in a "flavorless window," at least one hour after and one hour before consuming flavors. Consumption of 100-500 flavorless calories per day lowers the set point, and therefore, lowers weight.

The name is taken from the fictional Shangri-La, a reference Roberts explains by stating that Shangri-La is a "very peaceful place. My diet puts people at peace with food."

The diet has been endorsed or mentioned by Tyler Cowen, Stephen Dubner, Tim Ferriss, Tucker Max and Wired Magazine writer Gary Wolf. [http://www.marginalrevolution.com/marginalrevolution/2006/04/the_shangrila_d.html Marginal Revolution:] The Shangri-La Diet, April 7, 2006.] Ferriss, Tim [http://www.fourhourworkweek.com/blog/2008/01/27/relax-like-a-pro-5-steps-to-hacking-your-sleep/ Relax Like A Pro: Five Steps to Hacking Your Sleep] "thanks Seth Roberts, PHD. for this tip"] [http://messageboard.tuckermax.com/showthread.php?p=515754&#post515754 Tipping the Scales] Rudius Media Messageboards] [ [http://absolutelyeverythingelse.blogspot.com/2008/06/annals-of-self-experiment-seth-roberts.html Gary Wolf blog] "'Im becoming a devoted fan of Seth Robert's, one of the great champion of self-experimentation."] It was heavily criticized by UCLA nutritionist Dr. John Ford. Ford, John [http://www.tcsdaily.com/Article.aspx?id=052206D Troubles in Shangri-La] on TCSDaily]

Book

Through word of mouth, the book became a New York Times bestseller. [ [http://www.sethroberts.net/images/2006-05-21_nyt_bestseller.pdf] May 21st, 2006. New York Times Bestseller list.] It made it as high as #2 on Amazon.com's bestseller list. [ [http://calorielab.com/news/2006/05/10/shangri-la-de-da-diet-in-comic-form/ Shangri La De Da Diet in Comic Form] Calorie Lab. May 2006] It one point in 2006, Roberts' book was ranked #3 on Amazon while "Freakonomics", a friend and early supporter of the book. was #4. [cite news
last =Levitt
first = Steven
title = Friends in High Places
publisher = Freakonomics Blog, New York Times
date = May 5, 2006
url = http://freakonomics.blogs.nytimes.com/2006/05/05/friends-in-high-places/
accessdate = 2008-06-26]

The Shangri-La Diet was also featured on Good Morning America where journalist Diane Sawyer tried a tablespoon of olive oil.cite news
last =
first =
title = Oil and Water: Key to Weight Loss?
publisher = ABC
date = November 14, 2005
url = http://abcnews.go.com/GMA/BeautySecrets/story?id=1310260
accessdate = 2008-06-26] cite news
last =Dubner
first = Stephen
title = The Shangri-La Diet, Between Hard Covers
publisher = Freakonomics Blog, New York Times
date = November 14, 2005
url = http://freakonomics.blogs.nytimes.com/2006/04/20/the-shangri-la-diet-between-hard-covers/
accessdate = 2008-06-26]

Criticism of Dr. Chandra

In September 2001, Dr. Ranjit Chandra, a a prominent nutrition researcher, published a study about the effects of vitamin supplementation on the cognitive functions of the elderly.Chandra, Ranjit [http://sethroberts.net/chandra/Effect_of_Vitamin_and_Trace_Element_Supplementation_on_Cognitive_Function_in_Elderly_Subjects.pdf Effect of Vitamin and Trace-Element Supplementation on Cognitive Function of the Elderly] April 13, 2001.] Roberts and Saul Sternberg, a psychology professor at the University of Pennsylvania, discovered inconsistencies in the data presented, specifically in the data distribution and standard deviation.Roberts and Sternberg [http://sethroberts.net/chandra/2003_Chandra_letter_in_Nutrition.pdf Letters to the Editor:] Do Nutritional Supplements Improve Cognitive Function in the Elderly, November 12, 2002.] Roberts is quoted as stating "the results were not just implausible, they were impossible."cite news
last = Brody
first = Jane
title = A Top Scientist's Research is Under Attack
publisher = New York Times
date = May 6, 2004
url =http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?sec=health&res=9B04E5DE1F3DF935A35756C0A9629C8B63
accessdate = 2008-06-28] The story received recognition in both the British Medical Journal and the New York Times.cite news
last = White
first = Caroline
title = Three journals raise doubts on validity of Canadian study
publisher = BMJ
date = January 10, 2004
url = http://bmj.bmjjournals.com/cgi/content/full/328/7431/67?maxtoshow=&HITS=10&hits=10&RESULTFORMAT=&author1=white&andorexactfulltext=and&searchid=1135777379569_4719&FIRSTINDEX=0&sortspec=relevance&volume=328&firstpage=67&resourcetype=1
accessdate = 2008-06-28] The CBC ran a three-part documentary about the controversy called The Secret Life of Dr. Chandra. [ [http://www.cbc.ca/national/news/chandra/ CBC Documentary] ] In 2005, "Nutrition" issued a retraction of Chandra's original paper. [http://www.the-scientist.com/article/display/22614/ Nutrition Retracts 2001 Paper] on TheScientist.com]

References

External links

* [http://sethroberts.net/] , his official website with blog and forum
* [http://sethroberts.net/about/whatmakesfoodfattening.pdf What Makes Food Fattening? A Pavlovian Theory of Weight Control] , outline of his theory of calorie-associated flavors raising the set point
* [http://repositories.cdlib.org/postprints/117/] Self-experimentation as a source of new ideas: Ten examples about sleep, mood, health, and weight