March 18, 2020 — A public health emergency can have an unfortunate side effect. With the coronavirus pandemic, pseudoscience, quackery, and fraud are emerging, too. Diets and supplements to “boost” your immune system are a common form of this fraud. Honestly, sometimes this sort of misinformation flies under the radar of normally discerning people. But we praise Dietitians of […]
February 22, 2020 — Food and health fashion never ceases to amaze. Remember Slim Jims? Those processed meat sticks, shelf-stable forever, that people used to buy out of desperation at a convenience store? Well, suddenly they’re trendy and you can even buy upscale, grass-fed versions. We never would have guessed that processed meat sticks could become health food. A […]
February 17, 2020 — Why do we have so much obesity? One possible answer is evolution. By this, we don’t mean human evolution. Rather, we mean commercial evolution – of an obesogenic food supply. Many have suggested that the problem lies with addictive foods. Michael Moss tells a slick story about the evil food industry engineering hyperpalatable food that […]
February 2, 2020 — We’re nearing the end of diet season, but permanent weight loss puffery isn’t going anywhere. It used to be that promising permanent weight loss would land you in trouble with the FTC. But somehow, the upstart Noom is making a business of it. Much to the dismay of WW International (formerly Weight Watchers), the Noom […]
January 15, 2020 — This is the prime season for the fitness industry. January is the biggest month of the year for new memberships. But 80 percent of those new members will quit within five months. And the steady members don’t like it. Things get crowded, people get cranky. Nonetheless, January fitness money talks. What’s can a fitness business […]
January 5, 2020 — Is veganism having an identity crisis? On one hand, stories bombard us with the message that veganism is going mainstream. Vegan restaurant options are expanding crazy fast. A plant-based diet is supposed to be good for saving your health, your soul, and even the planet. But on the other hand, sticklers are quick to tell […]
January 3, 2020 — Earlier this week, a court ruling told us that the word diet doesn’t really mean much. Now the U.S. News report on best diets reminds that best doesn’t mean all that much, either. You might have thought that being best was a singular accomplishment. After all, Merriam Webster defines best as something that is better […]
January 2, 2020 — The 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals has rendered a great truth this week. The word diet doesn’t mean much. That word is no guarantee that whatever it describes will make you lose weight. In fact, you might even gain weight. Said this San Francisco court in a unanimous ruling: The prevalent understanding of the […]
December 27, 2019 — One size fits all is dead. Everyone is on the hunt for precision, personalized nutrition. Any number of companies will tell you how your unique DNA profile affects your dietary needs. People are finding an identity in their diets. Vegan, keto, low-carb, or whatever fits – increasingly people will fiercely defend the diets that they’ve […]
December 4, 2019 — We feel vindicated. Presently, the price for watching video streams is exposure to a troubling Peloton fitness ad. Over and over again. Sure, it’s an ad. But if you turn off the sound, it looks more like a hostage video than a sales pitch. To our sensibilities, it’s creepy. The Cultural Conversation It turns […]
