Archive for December, 2015

How Labeling Food as Healthy Could Have the Wrong Effect

December 31, 2015 — Quite a bit of obesity prevention strategies are aimed at getting people to eat the healthy stuff. But new research being published in the Journal of the Association for Consumer Research points to the possibility that this can backfire. Jacob Suher and colleagues found that labeling food as healthy can have the effect of making food seem less satisfying, […]

10 Trends and Events to Watch in 2016

December 30, 2015 — With 2015 receding into history, we already have a pretty clear picture of trends and events that will help define 2016 in obesity, fitness, and nutrition. Here are ten that stand out. Fitness Tracking. In a global survey of 2,833 fitness professionals, the American College of Sports Medicine found that respondents expect wearable technology for fitness tracking […]

Rationing Obesity Care

December 29, 2015 — One of the big hot button issues of Obamacare, healthcare rationing, has faded from public debate. But rationing of bariatric surgery — arguably a life-saving procedure — was a fact of life long before passage of the Affordable Care Act, and it continues to this day. A new publication in Social Science and Medicine by […]

Move Over Sugar, Potatoes Seem Toxic

December 28, 2015 — A new study in Diabetes Care adds to a line of research that serves the purpose of depicting “the problem with potatoes.” Isao Muraki and colleagues find an association between self-reports of higher potato consumption — especially french fries — and the risk of type 2 diabetes. This comes on top of a prior observation by some […]

Hillary Clinton’s “Secret” Peppers

December 27, 2015 — It’s that time. We may as well accept it. The onslaught of stories about the secret to weight loss has started. No surprise. It grabs eyeballs, clicks, and advertising dollars. One of the opening shots is an AP story about Hillary Clinton’s strategy for diet and fitness on the campaign trail. To be fair, reporter Lisa […]

Six Important Shifts of 2015 in Obesity and Nutrition

December 26, 2015 — Behind the headlines of 2015 in obesity and nutrition, some important shifts have set the table for what will come in 2016. Here are six standouts Dear Fat Shamers. This was the year that public sentiment crossed a line from accepting to rejecting fat shaming. A series of stories through the year have made fat […]

Santa’s Fitness Prescription

December 25, 2015 — Santa’s fitness is the subject of seemingly endless public speculation and passive-aggressive “concern.” This year, the conversation has shifted away from fat shaming him and moved on to occupational health, wellness, and fitness prescriptions for him. Santa has a hard job. Hustling around the world with all those packages, being subjected to the stress of an […]

Top Ten Most Read Stories on ConscienHealth in 2015

December 24, 2015 — Looking back on the ten most read stories of 2015 reminds us how thankful we are for the growing numbers of people who take the time to read what we write, offer comments, and share ideas that often become new stories. Amazingly, we are coming very close to reaching 100,000 readers in 2015, an increase […]

Stunning Health Benefits with Bariatric Surgery

December 23, 2015 — Every now and then, a study provides a stunning view of clinical reality that hides in plain sight. Ian Douglas and colleagues have published such a study in PLOS Medicine this week that paints an unmistakable picture of good clinical outcomes for bariatric surgery in the UK. In their study of outcomes for bariatric surgery in […]

Just (Egg-Free and Not Exactly) Mayo

December 22, 2015 — The story of FDA objecting to a fake mayonnaise product calling itself Just Mayo™ has reached a happy ending just in time for Christmas. FDA has saved face and seemingly not backed down from its definition of what mayonnaise is. Hampton Creek, the startup behind this product, has kept its branding and won lots of […]