[simplefish]

The point of the article is that observational studies are terrible and non-scientific, but people seize on them anyhow if they like the conclusions. You reply by saying, in essence, "this article must be wrong, because it disagrees with some observational studies which must be right because I like their conclusions".

Ironic.

(As the article points out, the very limited hard data we have - ie, not from observational studies - indicates that meat-rich diets are, if anything, good for the heart. And that observational studies such as the one under discussion ALWAYS show that the people who comply with advice (even if it's to take a placebo) are healthier. So your blithe "this study must be right, because we already know eating meat is bad, and what else could explain these people being healthy?" is just magical thinking. And thoroughly debunked by the very article you're commenting on.)