The China Study by Thomas M. Campbell & T. Colin Campbell Summary

The China Study by T. Colin Campbell and Thomas M. Campbell presents scientific evidence linking diet to chronic diseases like heart disease, cancer, and diabetes. It advocates for a whole-food, plant-based diet, drawing from the China-Cornell-Oxford Project, a landmark study analyzing dietary patterns and health outcomes across rural China. The book challenges Western dietary norms and highlights the harms of animal protein consumption.

This book is essential for individuals seeking to prevent or reverse chronic illnesses, healthcare professionals, and those in nutrition or food industries. It also appeals to readers interested in the politics of food systems, ethical dietary choices, or understanding how plant-based diets impact long-term health.

Yes—it’s a bestseller with over 3 million copies sold, translated into 50 languages. The authors combine decades of peer-reviewed research, including the China Project’s findings, to argue that dietary changes can prevent and even reverse diseases. Its influence is amplified by its feature in the documentary Forks Over Knives.

This diet emphasizes minimally processed plant foods: fruits, vegetables, legumes, and whole grains. It excludes animal products and refined foods, arguing that such a diet reduces inflammation, prevents disease, and promotes longevity. The Campbells cite studies showing lowered cholesterol, stabilized blood sugar, and reduced cancer risk among those following this approach.

The book claims animal proteins, like casein in dairy, promote cancer growth and cardiovascular disease. Laboratory experiments showed adjusting casein intake could “turn on” or “turn off” tumor development. Epidemiological data from rural China, where animal product consumption was low, revealed far lower rates of chronic diseases compared to Western populations.

Some critics argue the book oversimplifies nutritional science, emphasizing observational data from the China Project rather than controlled trials. Others note it downplays potential benefits of moderate animal product consumption. However, the Campbells maintain their conclusions are backed by decades of multidisciplinary research.

This 1980s study, dubbed the “Grand Prix of epidemiology” by The New York Times, analyzed diet, lifestyle, and disease across 65 Chinese counties. It found strong correlations between plant-based diets and lower rates of chronic illnesses, forming the backbone of The China Study’s arguments.

“The diet that has been shown to reverse and/or prevent these diseases is a whole-food, plant-based diet.” This encapsulates the book’s central thesis—that dietary choices are more powerful than pharmaceutical interventions in managing health.

Both advocate plant-based diets to combat disease, but The China Study focuses more on biochemical mechanisms and large-scale studies, while How Not to Die emphasizes practical dietary guidelines. The Campbells’ work is often seen as the foundational scientific text for later plant-based nutrition books.

Thomas M. Campbell II, MD, is a family physician and executive director of the T. Colin Campbell Center for Nutritional Studies. Initially an actor, he joined his father to translate complex research into accessible insights, later shifting careers to promote evidence-based nutrition.

Yes—the book cites studies where plant-based diets reduced arterial plaque and improved cardiac function. It references Dr. Caldwell Esselstyn’s work showing coronary artery disease reversal in patients adhering to similar dietary principles, challenging mainstream cardiology approaches.

With chronic diseases and climate change escalating, its message about sustainable, health-focused diets remains critical. Recent shifts toward plant-based eating and ongoing debates about food industry influence align with the book’s themes, ensuring its continued cultural and scientific relevance.