Archive for August, 2018

Before, After, Pre, Post, and Bogus Claims

August 31, 2018 — Seeing is believing. So showing before and after results is a tried and true way to persuade people that something works. The effect must be real. You can see for yourself. Unfortunately, for weight management it’s the basis for bogus claims of effectiveness. In a letter to the editor, Bridget Hannon and colleagues point out […]

Really? Cardio Beats Strength on Metabolism?

August 30, 2018 — A fascinating new study in the JCI Insight is spawning some tantalizing headlines. “Cardio Boosts Metabolism More Than Strength Training” says the Independent. Wow! Can a study of just ten healthy men really support such a sweeping claim? The short answer is no. But it’s still a fascinating study. A Careful Metabolic Study Thomas Morville […]

Obese, Demented, and Eaten Up with Cancer

August 29, 2018 — Respectful language is quite a challenge these days. Especially when language touches on issues of stigma and identity, it’s easy to offend people. So it’s no surprise that the language attached to obesity is a sensitive subject. And one thing is certain. “Obese” is a label that nobody likes. “Demented” or “eaten up with cancer” […]

Sparking #OACAction This Week

August 28, 2018 — Somewhere in your network, you might be hearing the Obesity Action Coalition talk about taking #OACAction. Or, you might be hearing about #OACAction from a friend, healthcare provider, or even through social media. It’s popping up in online news feeds, OAC educational materials, and even as a section on the OAC website. That’s because this week […]

Lorcaserin: From Also-Ran to Holy Grail in the NEJM

August 27, 2018 — Back in July, we told you about a landmark cardiovascular outcomes study with lorcaserin. We only had topline results at that point, but we knew that this would be big. Today, we have a publication in the New England Journal of Medicine, an editorial, and lots of hyperbolic buzz in headlines all over the world. […]

Eating to Impress: Conspicuously Healthy Consumption

August 26, 2018 — A friend and dietitian explained this several years ago. We were having lunch with a few of her colleagues who are also dietitians involved with food policy. “We call this competitive eating,” she said. Apparently, the idea is to enhance your professional status – or at least protect it – based on what you order at a […]

Bravely Fighting Childhood Obesity with Reality TV

August 25, 2018 — This week has been long and filled with serious news. So, we’re filled with gratitude for a hilariously absurd story from ITV and the British press. They’ve given us a load of comic relief to end the week. You might think of it as a load of something else, but we’re keeping it clean here. With […]

Meeting the Challenge of Scale for Obesity Care

August 24, 2018 — It’s a thought bubble that looms over many conversations about obesity. A hundred million Americans have it. Therefore, we can’t possibly respond on an adequate scale with treatment. All too often, that thought is enough. Conversations about obesity care stop before they really get started. But a new study published in Obesity today points to […]

Wondering Why More Teens Aren’t Thinking Weight Loss

August 23, 2018 — We find an odd bit of logic woven into a research letter in JAMA Pediatrics this month. Overweight and obesity is becoming common in teens, so it’s tough for them to think of it as abnormal. So fewer teens are worrying about losing weight. And thus, those adolescents are missing out on opportunities for obesity […]

Which Poisons More: Coconut Oil or Nutrition Hyperbole?

August 22, 2018 — Professor Karin Michels is presenting us with a dilemma today. On one hand, we’ve written before about the absurdity of the coconut oil fad. People have been swallowing tablespoonfuls of this fat, chasing bogus health claims they’ve been reading in social media feeds. Cures everything from obesity to Alzheimer’s. Gwyneth Paltrow recommends swishing it in […]