Follow the accumulating evidence and observations that shape our view of health policy and obesity
January 24, 2020 — We didn’t think the meat mayhem reported last week could get any nastier. We were wrong. That’s because John Sharp, Chancellor of the Texas A&M University System, is now requesting an investigation of actions by Walter Willett, Frank Hu, David Katz, and the True Health Initiative related to this big mess. He calls their reported […]
January 23, 2020 — People with a cause like to hook it up with childhood obesity. Breastfeeding is good for both mother and child. But it doesn’t magically prevent childhood obesity – no matter how many times advocates try to suggest it does. Likewise, overusing antibiotics is a huge problem – mainly because it leads to huge problems with […]
January 22, 2020 — Spending five days with some of the most influential nutrition communication professionals in America has made us think. Do we value the food that sustains us? Is the low cost of food in America entirely a good thing? Why, despite that low cost, do we still have so much food insecurity? Cheap Calories Make no […]
January 21, 2020 — Late last week (we call it a Friday news dump) the USDA proposed new rules for school nutrition. The administration calls it regulatory reform. Flexibility to reduce food waste. But childhood nutrition advocates call it a move for more pizza and fewer veggies at school. USDA says it “did not intentionally announce this proposed rule […]
January 20, 2020 — Skim milk can be whatever you want. To some people (we confess) it seems like a disgusting example of fake food. To others it’s an exemplar for healthy nutrition. For that latter crowd, a new study points to an association of slower aging with drinking skim or low-fat milk. Is this a benefit you can […]
January 19, 2020 — It is a telling choice of words. More than half of black women over age 20 are categorized as obese, wrote Joseph Williams. Half of America will be considered obese within this decade, says Alyssa Bethencourt. Oliver Williams writes that 18.9 per cent of children in Year 6 are classified as overweight or obese. These […]
January 18, 2020 — Meat mayhem marches on in the arcane world of academic nutrition warfare. Humans have a tough time these days with diversity of thinking. Especially if the subject is nutrition. Or food policy. Thus, Rita Rubin served up a compelling account of the ongoing battles about meat in JAMA this week. Avoiding the Meat of the […]
January 17, 2020 — Trust and vulnerability are two closely related dimensions of the relationship between healthcare providers and patients. Trust arises from vulnerability, wrote Mark Hall. But when providers judge patients, they violate that trust. New research in JAMA Network Open tells us that this breach of trust might be relatively common. And it has serious consequences. That’s […]
January 16, 2020 — Every problem is an opportunity. Right? So we’re not surprised that food industry innovators see an opportunity to exploit climate change to differentiate their brands. Quorn plans to put carbon footprint labeling on their meat substitute products. Maybe the planet is burning up. But you can feel good about eating mycoprotein that hurts the planet […]
January 15, 2020 — This is the prime season for the fitness industry. January is the biggest month of the year for new memberships. But 80 percent of those new members will quit within five months. And the steady members don’t like it. Things get crowded, people get cranky. Nonetheless, January fitness money talks. What’s can a fitness business […]
