August 24, 2023 — Simplistic thinking about obesity has an overwhelming appeal. Sadly, though, it has a dismal history of letting us down. “Yes, calories in/calories out really is the key to weight loss,” writes Tamar Haspel in the Washington Post. To insure we don’t miss the point, she closes by saying: “It’s the calories, people. It’s the calories.” […]
April 20, 2019 — We are in the midst of a great change in how our food is labeled for nutrition. The Nutrition Facts label goes back to 1993, with no changes since 1999. That’s when trans fats gained a place on the label. Now, starting in 2020, the label will call out added sugar. That should be simple, […]
October 4, 2018 — It’s a familiar debate. Is energy balance governed by physiology, thermodynamics, and calories? Or does dietary quality – perhaps an excess of refined carbs – tell you more? It’s possible that this tired debate is missing an important point. Recent research suggests that consumption patterns might be at least equally important. When you eat and […]
June 11, 2018 — Sunday morning at Nutrition 2018, the seemingly endless pursuit of good and bad calories continued. Five distinguished scientists presented diverse views. But it all adds up to the same thing. All calories make a difference. Energy balance is a helpful concept. And physiology usually wins. Jim Hill: A Complex Adaptive System Hill offered a detailed […]
June 24, 2013 — When restaurant menu calorie counts were proposed in New York City, quite a hubbub resulted. The restaurant industry sued. A president-elect of the Obesity Society resigned because he made the political mistake of asserting very publicly that the move might do no good or even cause harm. Now it’s been five years since these rules […]
