Archive for June, 2015

Missouri Milestone: Insurance Coverage for Eating Disorders

June 30, 2015 — Advocates for people living with eating disorders achieved a Missouri milestone in access to care this week. Some observers are suggesting that it may have implications nationwide. Missouri lawmakers passed a bill that requires health insurers to cover “medically necessary” physical and mental treatment of eating disorders. The legislation passed and was signed into law […]

Employers vs People with Disabilities on Wellness

June 29, 2015 — Public comments have been published on new regulations from the EEOC regarding wellness programs that might or might not discriminate against people with disabilities. The contrast in how people see these rules is stark. On one side you have people living with chronic diseases and and disabilities who see the regs as giving employers immunity to […]

Evolving Obesity Beyond Our Own Genes

June 28, 2015 — “Our genes certainly haven’t changed as quickly as obesity has increased.” That logic fragment frequently surfaces to justify blaming people living with obesity for their condition. Yet in the population, we see evolving obesity prevalence that is entrenched at levels well above historic levels. The obvious explanation is that our genetic inheritance sets the table for obesity, […]

Lifting the Lid on Fat, Bringing the Hammer Down on Sugar

June 27, 2015 — A new commentary in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) celebrates recommendations for new dietary guidelines lifting the lid on fat and bringing the hammer down on sugar: The limit on total fat presents an obstacle to sensible change, promoting harmful low-fat foods, undermining attempts to limit intakes of refined starch and added sugar, […]

Stuck in a False Choice

June 26, 2015 — A new analysis in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine estimates the potential cost effectiveness of preventing childhood obesity by taxing sugar-sweetened beverages, by taxing junk food advertising to kids, by policy changes for early childhood education, and by active physical education. It’s an interesting exercise in modeling what could happen and what it would […]

Fast and You’ll Live Longer – If You’re a Mouse

June 25, 2015 — Have you wondered why or even noticed that journals like Science and Nature are sometimes called tabloid science journals? A great illustration is playing out from a manuscript just published online in Cell Metabolism. It’s generating some sensational headlines like: Fasting May Reboot the Body and Reduce Cancer Risk Diet That Mimics Fasting May Slow Aging Periodic Fasting […]

Obesity Rates: How Do You Spell Up?

June 24, 2015 — We’ve been bombarded lately with so many reports celebrating “progress” against obesity rates — particularly in childhood obesity — that this week’s new, detailed analysis of adult obesity rates in the U.S. is a bit of a jolt to people who have been listening to all the happy talk. This report tells a story of adult rates […]

Texas Puts Deep Fat Fryers Back in Schools

June 23, 2015 — Stirring politics into obesity leads to some remarkable decisions. So it is in Texas where Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller saw a pressing political need to put deep fat fryers back into schools. Announcing the end of a statewide ban on deep fat fryers, Miller was spinning it out as a “fresh approach” to combat child obesity. […]

Michelle Obama Vows More of Let’s Move

June 22, 2015 — First Lady Michelle Obama was in Europe this weekend, promising more of Let’s Move, even after she leaves the White House. Speaking with reporters, she described the progress she believes she has made: Taken together, these changes are starting to have an impact. Childhood obesity rates have finally stopped rising, and obesity rates are actually […]

Healthy Dads, Healthy Kids

June 21, 2015 — We’ve read much lately about how important maternal health is to preventing obesity in the next generation. It’s becoming equally clear that healthy dads are important for having healthy kids. Obesity travels through families and across generations. In both animals and humans, evidence is accumulating to say that epigenetic transmission of obesity can come from […]