Archive for December, 2013

Top 10 Most Read Obesity & Nutrition Stories in 2013

December 31, 2013 — Our top 10 most read obesity and nutrition stories in 2013 have two things in common. Many of them deal with distinction between evidence-based findings and suppositions presented as facts. And many of them provide a concise distillation of observations. Here are the stories that more people read than any others on ConscienHealth in 2013. Hot […]

Top 10 Food and Nutrition Trends for the Year

December 30, 2013 — Of the food and nutrition trends that are dominant as we move into 2014, children and local sourcing come out on top. Here’s a quick rundown of the top ten trends, derived from industry experts, reports, and consumer attitudes. Childhood obesity and nutrition. First lady Michelle Obama has kept the nation, the food industry, and […]

The Difference between Being Big and Having Obesity

December 29, 2013 — The difference between being big and having obesity is both subtle and great. It complicates many conversations about obesity when it gets blurred by fuzzy thinking. A prime example is the argument still simmering about so-called “healthy obesity.” The argument is a stupid one, but people get sucked into it because they gloss over the […]

Your Top 9 in 2013: Obesity News that Mattered Most

December 28, 2013 — The obesity news that mattered the most to you in 2013 says a lot about the people who follow ConscienHealth. Number one on the list is “misleading reports of nutrition and obesity research.” Who would have guessed that integrity of research reporting would be at the top of your list. We’re glad we asked. Below […]

Even Tighter Airline Seats? Yes, Four Ways

December 27, 2013 — Sitting in a standard coach airline seat makes United’s “Flyer Friendly” commercial into a bit of a joke. You know the one — an entire symphony orchestra sits in coach class and magically has enough room to play Gershwin’s “Rhapsody in Blue.” There’s no mistaking this for reality TV. The thing is, it’s no joke […]

The Five Dumbest Obesity Sound Bites of 2013

December 26, 2013 — The dumbest obesity sound bites just sit there and beg for attention. This year has offered up plenty of health reporters and wannabe newsmakers who miss the mark. Here’s a sampling. “I was a little peeved because I think that we’re normalizing obesity in our society.” This fitness blogger got herself banned from Facebook for […]

Who Gave Santa Claus Obesity?

December 25, 2013 — Who gave Santa Claus obesity? This is one question about obesity that has a simple answer. Clement Clark Moore did it when he wrote A Visit from St. Nicholas, now well known as The Night Before Christmas. No one has really seen St. Nicholas or Santa Claus since the fourth century when he lived in the […]

A Surprising Rate of Virgin Births

December 24, 2013 — Virgin births were reported by 0.5% of U.S. women in the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health. The finding was quite a surprise to epidemiologists at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. The researchers, who published their analysis in today’s issue of BMJ, at first attributed the numbers to a programming error. But after […]

Three Things Employers Can Do About Obesity

December 23, 2013 — Of the many things employers are doing about obesity, some are creating ill will and controversy. Smart employers are finding better approaches. In a recent interview, ConscienHealth founder and principal Ted Kyle identified three things employers can do that will actually help. Create a healthy work environment. Employees spend most of their waking hours at […]

Nuts! No Guarantee of Weight Loss

December 22, 2013 — Nuts are getting a lot of good health press lately. “Go nuts and still lose weight,” proclaims a nutrition columnist in Live Science. The New York Times published an ode this week to the wonders of nuts as a weight-loss aid. It’s quite a turnaround for nuts, which were out of favor in the low-fat […]