2001 Science in Society Journalism Awards

Magazine

Gary Taubes

“The Soft Science of Dietary Fat”

Science

Description

Freelance writer Gary Taubes won his third Science in Society award with his Science magazine story, “The soft science of dietary fat.” Following his prize winning technique of evaluating how inadequate scientific tools are used to dictate important national health issues — what people should eat — he once again shows there is still much to be mined in a topic long considered settled and indisputable. With painstaking research and in-depth reporting, he challenges the accepted wisdom on dietary fat and displays the chinks in its armor. Many of his reported findings are still controversial, yet judges lauded his risk-taking reporting, making us think twice about obsessing about our dietary choices.

Taubes, a freelance writer, spent a year on the story mostly supported by other writing projects. Each story in this vein takes longer than the last, he said. For this one, He interviewed about 150 people. As a result, in his own shopping Taubes ignores the nationally approved health advice and hunts, sometimes in vain, for yogurt made out of whole milk. When his friends ask him for scientifically sound dietary advice, the only thing he can tell them is still what his mother told him: Eat your fresh fruits and vegetables, and watch your weight.

Biography

Gary Taubes

Gary Taubes has written about science, medicine and health for Science, Discover, the Atlantic Monthly, The New York Times Magazine, Esquire, GQ, and a host of other publications. He is currently a contributing correspondent with Science and a contributing editor with Technology Review..

Taubes has won numerous awards for his reporting including the National Association of Science Writers Science in Society Journalism Award in both 1996 and 1999.

Taubes’ most recent book, Bad Science, The Short Life and Weird Times of Cold Fusion (Random House, 1993), was a New York Times Notable Book and a finalist for the Los Angeles Times Book Awards.

Science in Society Journalism Awards:
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