Follow the accumulating evidence and observations that shape our view of health policy and obesity
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 […]
January 14, 2020 — In the midst of popular frenzy about low carb diets, substantial evidence suggests a shift in focus to us. Research is suggesting that slow carbs might be a very good option. Soluble fiber slows the digestion of carbohydrates. It gives food a lower glycemic index, meaning that it produces less of a spike in blood […]
January 13, 2020 — Is there such a thing as too much sweetness and light? This is a question that bugs people who just don’t trust artificial sweeteners. Thus, a new study in Nutrients will add fuel to their fires of suspicion. Researchers led by Alexander Nichol conducted a small, randomized crossover study of sucralose (Splenda®) and its effect […]
January 12, 2020 — Sleep apnea is a serious problem with serious consequences for life and health. With this condition, people have shorter lives and more cardiovascular disease. Because obesity is the primary risk factor for sleep apnea, it’s growing just as obesity is. That’s why we’re hearing so many ads for CPAP machines and supplies. More and more […]
January 11, 2020 — A new study in the January issue of Diabetes Care makes one thing very clear. We pay a steep price for untreated NASH – nonalcoholic steatohepatitis. This is a disease that starts with fat tissue building up in the liver. Then inflammation develops. After that, it can progress to liver damage and failure, ultimately requiring […]
January 10, 2020 — One of the few things in obesity that people agree upon is that BMI has serious limitations for the diagnosis of obesity. It’s great for epidemiologists. But it causes problems for clinicians and patients. While it’s useful as a crude measure of weight status, it doesn’t provide much insight into a patient’s clinical status. So […]
January 9, 2020 — We ought to be the masters of our own fate. Pull ourselves up by the bootstraps. Get up and do what needs to be done. And you know what? Most people do their best. However, this little inspirational talk is no substitute for medical facts. And the fact is that obesity is a highly heritable, […]
