March 21, 2018 — Some myths just won’t die. For example, consider the immortal myth of breakfast for weight loss. At ENDO 2018 in Chicago, researchers presented a small study and issued a press release. The study compared 39 patients with type 2 diabetes assigned to receive one of two different meal plans. One group ate just three meals […]
March 20, 2018 — Two bits of recent research add to our concern about care denied to teens with severe obesity. One study compares bariatric surgery to intensive medical care. Teens with type 2 diabetes and severe obesity had much better outcomes with bariatric surgery. But another shows that very few teens (0.7%) with severe obesity actually receive the […]
March 19, 2018 — Some call it a crisis of reproducibility. More than a decade ago, John Ioannidis famously told the world that most published research findings are false. His analysis quickly became the most widely read paper ever published by PLOS. You’ll find a more generous view in a new, special issue of PNAS. Attending to the rigor, […]
March 18, 2018 — Sometimes simple things can have lasting effects. A new study in PLOS Medicine points to an excellent example. The subject is a 12-week walking program with pedometers. Follow-up on two different randomized controlled studies show real increases in physical activity three to four years after the program. More Than Just the Gizmos The story behind […]
March 17, 2018 — Here’s a diet that has everything. It actually provides for a pretty good quality of nutrition. It has a buzzy acronym – MIND – that suggests a compelling and very specific benefit. And it has the American Heart Association (among others) hyping it. The MIND diet has a lot going for it. Except for one thing. The […]
March 16, 2018 — Perhaps you’ve noticed. Popular culture has embraced fitness. Athleisure is everywhere in fashion. Gyms are enjoying a prolonged trend of seemingly limitless membership growth. The National Center for Health Statistics reports that the number or people who say they are meeting guidelines for physical activity is growing. But is our popular fitness culture putting a dent […]
March 15, 2018 — Packing a suitcase is simple. Getting a plane safely into the air is complicated. But tackling obesity is complex. That’s how Susan Campbell, the senior leader for wellness strategy at American Airlines, described the challenge confronting her airline. American and other healthcare purchasers are finding a way to reach beyond simplistic approaches to obesity. Campbell […]
March 14, 2018 — It feels like we’re threading a needle anytime we’re addressing obesity. BBC asks, “Is it wrong to be blunt about obesity?” And the short answer is, probably so. That’s because blunt usually means rude. And rude means you’re adding to the problem. But the answer is not to avoid the subject. The answer is to […]
March 13, 2018 — It’s a tale of two obesity drug makers. One – Orexigen – filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy yesterday. Orexigen markets Contrave, a combination drug made from bupropion and naltrexone. The other company – Novo Nordisk – is building upon the early success of its obesity drug, Saxenda (liraglutide 3mg). Why are the fortunes of these two companies so […]
March 12, 2018 — Are we numb to hype and little lies yet? Sad to say, they’re not confined to tabloid news or politics. Despite data that doesn’t support effectiveness claims, we see such claims for obesity treatment and prevention published in scientific journals. This week, researchers at Johns Hopkins and UC-Davis provide two distinct examples. A Virtual Health […]
