Archive for December, 2022

Big Claims, Vexing Flaws of an Intermittent Fasting Study

December 21, 2022 — Clinical research is hard to do right – especially if the goal is to discover the true answer to a scientific question. Because scientists are human, they bring passion to their work. But they have to set aside those passions in designing and conducting research so that their research will hold up to scrutiny. Along […]

Amplifying Obsessions or Informing Thoughts?

December 20, 2022 — Information technology has morphed into social media and become an essential tool for many of us. Is it amplifying our obsessions or informing our thoughts? Perhaps it’s a matter of perspective – and thus, a bit of both. It can bring informed thinking about matters of health, wellness, and social progress. Or it can fuel […]

Weight Bias Not a Problem Here? Think Again

December 19, 2022 — Every now and then we have to suppress an eye roll when someone tells us that weight bias is not a relevant concern where they are. If only. We have to suppress an eyeroll and find a gentle way to encourage them to think again about the impact of weight bias in their setting. Two […]

Can AI Explain Obesity Better Than Humans?

December 18, 2022 — More than a few writers have been worrying lately about a new artificial intelligence app, ChatGPT. In the Guardian, Alex Hern supposed that it will put professors and journalists out of their jobs. So we wondered. Could this implementation of AI demonstrate an understanding of obesity? The obvious answer was to give it a try. […]

Angels Dancing Make for Good Exercise

December 17, 2022 — Do angels dancing on the head of a pin get good exercise? We’ll have to get back to you on that one. But we can say that thinking about the value of exercise for overcoming obesity is worthwhile. In the International Journal of Obesity over the last few weeks an excellent conversation about this has […]

The Most Read Posts on ConscienHealth in 2022

December 16, 2022 — We’re zooming toward the end of 2022, so it’s hard to resist looking back to see which of the posts on ConscienHealth you read the most. We are grateful for the smart and diverse people who take the time to read what we post here. Seeing what captures your attention teaches us a thing or […]

Fixing the Broken Obesity Care Supply Chain

December 15, 2022 — If nothing else, the last few years have transformed global supply chains from an arcane business concern into something that touched everyone. Setting aside toilet paper and electronics, let’s think for about moment about a supply chain that will be a problem stretching into the coming year – the supply chain for obesity care. How […]

Surprise! Vague Weight Loss Advice Fails Us

December 14, 2022 — Decades have passed with medical experts talking about an “obesity epidemic.” Meanwhile the prevalence of this condition rose without a pause. A new study in Family Practice offers some insight into how this plays out in primary care. Madeleine Tremblett, Annabel Poon, Paul Aveyard, and Charlotte Albury analyzed 159 recordings of advice from GPs to […]

Obesity First of Seven Changes to Diabetes Care

December 13, 2022 — The American Diabetes Association is out with their new standards of care for 2023 and at the top of the list of seven major changes is a refined focus on obesity. Changes in medical care are subtle and slow. But when you look at how it has evolved over recent years, the shift in views […]

Hoops to Delay and Discourage Obesity Care

December 12, 2022 — Hoops are fine tools for play and entertainment. But the hoops which health insurers put people with obesity through serve only to delay and discourage obesity care. The implicit message is clear enough: “You probably don’t deserve this, so you have to prove yourself first.” A recent study demonstrates once again that these insurance mandates […]