July 15, 2019 — New research from Rebecca Pearl and colleagues on self-stigma raises important questions for self-care. In obesity, self-care is the most common approach. “I ought to be able to do this myself” is a common thought we hear. WW (formerly Weight Watchers) has many millions of members. Diet, exercise, and weight loss books top the charts […]
July 11, 2019 — Does money bring happiness? That’s a matter of some debate. Though poverty doesn’t do it, research suggests that money isn’t always the best answer for pursuing happiness. In fact, recent research suggests that active living might bring more joy than money. Exercise and Mental Health In Lancet, Sammi Chekroud and colleagues published a large study […]
July 10, 2019 — Regarding obesity as a disease is associated with lower weight bias among physicians. That’s the title of a new study in Stigma and Health. Before now, researchers have had experimental evidence. They’ve shown that positioning obesity as a disease could reduce weight stigma and bias. Now, in addition, this new study gives us real world […]
July 9, 2019 — Could it be that chasing dietary options for heart health is pointless? Commenting on a new study in Annals of Internal Medicine, Amitabh Pandey and Eric Topol express doubts: Diets and supplements are 2 of the most intense areas of public interest but are among the most lacking in adequate data. Unfortunately, the current study […]
July 8, 2019 — The angst caused by Cancer Research UK’s Obesity-Is-Like-Smoking campaign is continuing to bubble. At this point, approximately 6,000 people have signed a petition asking the charity to stop it. We’ve been clear enough about how bad this campaign is. However, it’s worth noting a surprisingly thoughtful argument for the campaign from Deborah James. Believe it […]
July 7, 2019 — How much added sugar is in a five-pound bag of sugar? It’s taken a while, but FDA has come up with a final answer to this challenging question. None. It’s all sugar, nothing added. The same goes for honey, molasses, or maple syrup. It turns out that the definition of “added” can be quite tricky. […]
July 6, 2019 — As health authorities in the U.K. whip up fears about obesity, it becomes fodder for entertainment writers. With a witty headline, Brian Beacom tells us that he has the answer for obesity. “There’s fat chance of tackling obesity without school sports investment,” he writes. Of course, not a shred of evidence supports his assertion. But […]
July 3, 2019 — The ugliest aspect of weight bias finds its purest expression in bullying. Bullies have an instinct for finding a person’s vulnerability and using it to tear a person down. They are intentional and relentless. Bullying gives them power over their victim. Because our culture has an unhealthy obsession with thinness, weight bias enables bullies. It […]
July 2, 2019 — Beware of pilot studies. However, we have a fascinating one for you. Nature Medicine published this study yesterday. It’s a randomized, controlled trial of 32 subjects in three arms. Clara Depommier and colleagues found that a daily supplement of pasteurized bacteria (Akkermansia muciniphila) could improve some of the markers of metabolic syndrome. Specifically, they saw […]
July 1, 2019 — The buzz around ultra-processed foods continues to grow. Much of that buzz swirls around the first-ever randomized and controlled study by Kevin Hall and colleagues. It’s sparking a whole range of reactions. Some offer only praise. Meanwhile, others offer diffuse criticism. Still others are asking sharp questions. But some of the most interesting questions are […]
