Archive for February, 2016

Really? Restaurant Calorie Counts Fight Obesity?

February 29, 2016 — A new analysis of self-reported BMI data has advocates for restaurant calorie counts cheering that they really do fight obesity. In a fabulous illustration of how smart people can rationalize whatever they want to believe, Harvard professor Cass Sunstein is unequivocal about the success of adding calorie counts to restaurant menus: All in all, it’s […]

Increasing Clarity on Air Pollution Causing Obesity

February 28, 2016 — Air pollution has long been suspected of contributing to the rising rates of obesity seen around the world. A new study published in the FASEB Journal adds evidence about how particles in air pollution can activate inflammation in the lungs that “spills over systemically, leading to metabolic dysfunction and weight gain.” Yongjie Wei and colleagues conducted a […]

Microaggression in Obesity

February 27, 2016 — This week, it’s becoming apparent that obesity is fraught with risks for microaggression. When we write about weight bias and discrimination, we find that there’s a good chance of stepping on toes by mixing in any mention of health issues related to obesity. After writing about wellness programs opening the door to discrimination against people […]

A Special Place for Confusing Body Image With Health

February 26, 2016 — Cheryl Tiegs is creating a kerfuffle by confusing body image with health and criticizing the current cover model for Sports Illustrated’s swimsuit issue, Ashley Graham. Citing Dr. Oz as her go-to source, Tiegs says that Graham’s waist “is not healthy.” According to Tiegs, “Your waist should be smaller than 35.” It turns out that Graham’s waist is […]

Opening the Door to Legal Health Discrimination

February 25, 2016 — Has the infatuation with incentive-based employer wellness programs “inadvertently put a target on the backs of employees who are dealing with obesity?” That’s the concern expressed recently by OAC Vice President James Zervios. He’s not alone in sounding an alarm about health discrimination. A new commentary in The Hill warns that penalties in wellness programs will promote […]

Scalia’s Death Linked to Obesity and Its Complications

February 24, 2016 — In a letter from his physician, the death of Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia has been attributed to obesity and a long list of its complications, including coronary artery disease, diabetes, sleep apnea, hypertension, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and degenerative joint disease. In a February 16 letter, Rear Admiral Brian Monahan stated that his “many significant […]

Expecting People with Obesity to Repent?

February 23, 2016 — Buried in the jargon of a paper newly published in Journal of Experimental Psychology: Applied is a stunning observation. Weight bias comes from feeling disgusted by people with obesity — thinking they are not trying hard enough to fix their problem. “Those people should repent of their obesity” seems to be the thinking. But then, maybe “thinking” is the wrong word. This […]

Brains Respond Differently to Food in Obesity

February 22, 2016 — In the two leading obesity research journals this week, we have new evidence for how differently the brain responds to food and meals when someone has obesity. In Obesity, Nancy Puzziferri and colleagues documented a reduced neural response to eating in people with obesity. And then, Anja Dietrich and colleagues showed how the brain’s regulation of […]

Hillary’s Hot Peppers for Obesity

February 21, 2016 — Whether or not Hillary Clinton’s campaign’s momentum is real, it’s looking like Hillary’s hot peppers are gaining a little momentum in the scientific literature. A new review in the International Journal of Obesity by Angelo Tremblay and colleagues concludes: The available evidence summarized in this paper supports the idea that capsaicinoid consumption may facilitate body weight management. This effect is […]

Is Artificial Night Light Contributing to Obesity?

February 20, 2016 — More and more data keeps rolling in to suggest that artificial night light may be contributing to the excess of obesity. The bluish light from our glowing rectangles seems to be a particular problem. As with most potential causes of obesity, resolving the question of causality is the key challenge. Two new studies are adding to the […]