Follow the accumulating evidence and observations that shape our view of health policy and obesity
June 16, 2019 — If you want a friend in Washington, get a dog. This apocryphal quote supposedly came from Harry Truman. But Truman never kept that advice, or a dog, for that matter. However, it does seem that for those who are so inclined, dog owners have a helpful excuse for staying more active. A Robust Relationship A […]
June 15, 2019 — It’s an awesome responsibility, saving the planet. But apparently, it’s also simple. And many people have an answer. Opt for eating chicken instead of beef. We can go vegan, vegetarian, or to a warmer, fuzzier “plant-based” diet. Beyond Meat is doing quite well by serving up pea protein in Beyond Burgers. Without a doubt, we […]
June 14, 2019 — It was odd. Lilly had a promising new drug for diabetes that delivered unusually good weight outcomes. But they weren’t sure about developing it for obesity. That was last October. Now, though, they seem to have decided to move ahead with their dual GIP/GLP-1 agonist, tirzepatide, for obesity. Pivotal phase 3 trials will begin this […]
June 13, 2019 — This week the Telegraph published a very touching essay by Tanya Gold, describing her heartfelt concern for the health of mannequins. Specifically, she’s concerned about a Nike mannequin she’s diagnosed with obesity: She is immense, gargantuan, vast. She heaves with fat. She is, in every measure, obese, and she is not readying herself for a […]
June 12, 2019 — Ultra-processed food is such an ugly phrase. Could this friendly little goldfish cracker really be such a threat to health? Defining that threat was the subject of a very collegial, but intense discussion on the closing day of Nutrition 2019 between Kevin Hall and Mike Gibney. But it was hardly confined to that one session. […]
June 11, 2019 — It was quite a splash. Near simultaneous presentations in Baltimore and San Francisco. For the last two days, Tim Spector and colleagues have been busy presenting data from an ambitious study of personalized nutrition. They had a late breaking poster at the American Diabetes Association meeting. Also, they made two presentations at American Society of […]
June 10, 2019 — If the recent news of diabetes incidence going down seemed like great news, let’s remember there’s a flip side to that. In youth, type 2 diabetes is still rising. At the American Diabetes Association (ADA) scientific meeting, researchers spelled out the implication. Youth-onset diabetes (type 2) is harsh. Complications come faster and they hit harder. […]
June 9, 2019 — Some of the most discussed news coming from the American Diabetes Association Scientific Sessions in San Francisco is all about the PIONEER studies of oral semaglutide. This drug is presently under review at FDA for type 2 diabetes. Interest is keen because it will be the first of its class that doesn’t require an injection. […]
June 8, 2019 — A new study in Diabetes Care is telling us that irregular sleep patterns have a clear association with obesity and metabolic dysfunction. It’s more than just how much we sleep. In fact, this study is all about the regularity of sleep patterns. So does this mean that irregular sleeping patterns will cause obesity? Not exactly. […]
June 7, 2019 — It’s been a wild ride. Almost 40 years ago, David Jenkins published the first paper to propose that the glycemic index of foods might be an important measure of nutrition quality. Back then, dietary guidance pointed to a low-fat panacea. Research continued quietly on the glycemic index. The pendulum swung from fear of fats to […]
