December 31, 2023 — “We have found a way to soothe the pain of living in this society by stimulating the reward pathway with unhealthy foods just as people do with alcohol and drugs.” This blunt obserservation landed in our inbox with a thud from obesity scientist and clinician Caroline Apovian last week. A counterbalance to the optimistic talk […]
December 30, 2023 — FDA tells us we have a problem – actually two of them, and they’re connected to a third. First, counterfeit versions of the Ozempic brand of semaglutide injections are finding their way into pharmacies. These fakes present an inherent risk of problems with safety and effectiveness. Second, compounded versions of semaglutide are selling in some […]
December 29, 2023 — Right now, the public and policy makers are grappling with innovations in obesity that we already have. But scientists are peering over the horizon. They are dreaming – asking important questions about long-term success in overcoming obesity. Stat News describes this as a “quest to eradicate obesity” – a frame for this work that misses […]
December 28, 2023 — This was a year of great progress in obesity, and with that progress came frustrations and angst. So finding the best and worst of 2023 in obesity and health is actually quite an easy and interesting task. Let’s dig right in. #1 Best: Cardiovascular Outcomes Benefit Data for Semaglutide Above all else the landmark findings […]
December 27, 2023 — Food as medicine programs can yield a fantastic medical benefit, say the promoters of this currently trendy concept in nutrition policy. If implemented broadly, they “would save lives and billions of dollars.” That’s the word from Tufts, where Dariush Mozaffarian is selling this concept with great enthusiasm. The whole idea behind these claims is that […]
December 26, 2023 — In the New Yorker, Dhruv Khullar calls 2023 “the year of Ozempic.” Then in Vox, Constance Grady puts it right up there with Barbie, calling this “the year of Ozempic bodies and Barbie Botox.” The New York Times puts it at the very top of five health lessons we learned in 2023. Most notably, Science […]
December 25, 2023 — Yes, we are ready for a little lot more peace and goodwill in this world we have filled lately with too much pain and strife. Thousands of children dying in a war of retribution, famine, gun violence, mistrust, and animosity. It is all simply too much to bear at times. But we have options. “The […]
December 24, 2023 — Oprah Winfrey says “Obesity is a disease. It’s not about willpower – it’s about the brain.” This tidbit from a recent interview with People magazine is great. It’s accurate and it corrects a common misconception. No doubt, it will bring a shift away from flawed thinking about this condition that many people have been hanging […]
December 23, 2023 — The approach of the big holiday of Christmas often conjures thoughts about sharing meals and festive food. Many tables are overflowing with excess and with that excess comes a certain amount of angst about holiday food, health, and personal happiness. This year, we have a new twist on how to cope. Popular media is serving […]
December 22, 2023 — The year we are now closing marks a new record in retractions of research papers – more than 10,000 in a single year. Reporting for Nature, Richard Van Norden provides details about this milestone in research integrity. Does this impressive number mark progress? Or merely signal that the challenge of research integrity is enormous? A […]
