August 14, 2019 — WW is stepping out on a limb and we hope the world is ready for it. Not quite a year after walking away from its identity as Weight Watchers, it’s taking a bold step. WW is rolling out Kurbo by WW for kids 8-17 with excess weight and obesity. Is this something that can be […]
August 9, 2019 — New data from Rhythm Pharmaceuticals this week tells us that a new, highly targeted obesity therapy may become available soon. The data come from two phase 3 studies of setmelanotide in rare cases genetic obesity. With these positive results in hand, Rhythm expects to file for FDA approval in late 2019 or early 2020. Thus, […]
July 18, 2019 — The number of U.S. adults actively trying to lose weight peaked in 2004 at 62 percent. Ever since, that number’s been dropping. In 2018, according to Gallup, it was down to 54 percent. But the trend for teens is headed in the opposite direction. In 2010, between 16 and 19 years of age, 24 percent […]
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 […]
June 27, 2019 — Two major research programs spanning two decades for reducing childhood obesity have yielded null results. Altogether, none of five separate studies from these two programs have shown an effect. No effect on obesity. No effect on related health outcomes, either. These studies are important because they target populations where obesity is most severe – low-income […]
June 24, 2019 — Late in April, folks in Leeds created a bit of a stir. They told the world they had achieved a “notable decrease” in childhood obesity. Better yet, some of the biggest gains were among the most disadvantaged children entering primary school. Headlines endorsed the program deployed in Leeds. But now, two months later, skeptics are […]
June 20, 2019 — Confirmation bias is a potent motivator. Pollsters get fired when their polls don’t tell the right story. Industry scientists may do better when they find results to advance an employer’s interests. Academics can prosper when they produce evidence to support their hypotheses. And government researchers may feel more job security when their work aligns with […]
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 6, 2019 — Talk is cheap. And frankly, we’re fed up with cheap talk about childhood obesity. Yes, we need effective prevention. But we don’t have it. Want proof? Look at the relentless rise in childhood obesity prevalence. So in the meantime, we need to start caring for kids, teens, and families who are living with obesity. And […]
June 2, 2019 — Universal basic income is generating some buzz in this election cycle. Presidential candidate Andrew Yang is pushing this idea of a guaranteed income for every adult. No strings attached. But Alaska already has it. Since 1983, the state’s Permanent Fund Dividend has provided an annual, unconditional, and universal income to Alaskans. What’s more, economists are […]
