September 30, 2023 — We hate to be the bearer of bad news. But those pumpkin spice lattes that define the pleasure of fall are both ultra-processed and hyper-palatable. In other words, they spell doom for our dietary health. That is, they do if we accept the current presumption that UPF and HPF explain all that is increasingly unhealthy […]
November 9, 2022 — Physiognomy – a textbook example of pseudoscience – came from ancient Greeks and fell into disrepute during the Middle Ages. This is the practice of judging a person’s character by their physical appearance. It happens, of course. But we’re more than surprised to find a medical journal – Sage Open Medicine – giving it credence. […]
November 16, 2021 — Dietary bias can be very slow to fade. The American Heart Association updated its dietary guidance for the first time in more than a decade. The new guidance has a lot of good things in it. There’s less emphasis on individual good and bad foods. More emphasis on healthful patterns for eating. The guidance makes […]
July 14, 2021 — We’re traveling again. For business, for pleasure, or simply for sanity. People are getting out and around because getting the vaccine means it’s safe again. Confinement brought many people some extra weight. But a new study is telling us that more business travel means more risk of obesity. How can it be that this seems […]
April 9, 2021 — Nostrums for overcoming obesity litter the landscape of health policy. “Obesity is preventable,” says the World Health Organization. We like the can-do spirit this reflects. Yet the how-to details are missing – or at least details with evidence to support them. Instead we have glittering generalities and beautiful metaphors. WHO recommends making healthy choices the […]
March 31, 2021 — Public enthusiasm for vitamin D during the COVID pandemic has been impressive. An ardent fan base follows every twist and turn in this saga. Observational studies find lower risk in people who have higher vitamin D level. Then an RCT comes along to muddy the water by finding no benefit. Two new studies provide new […]
March 28, 2021 — Are we entering a new golden age for obscurantism? Truth seems elusive at times in public discourse. But the pursuit of it is receiving a great deal of attention. So we have social media enterprises exploring ways they can slow the spread of misinformation. In response, folks who persist in spreading it are becoming more […]
March 7, 2021 — The collision of dietary dogmas is fascinating to watch. Especially in the early days of it. Right now, plant-based diets and ultra-processed foods are getting a whole lot of press. Plant-based is good. Ultra-processed is bad. So naturally, we see the meteoric rise of plant-based, ultra-processed food. Writing in the New York Times, Frank Bruni […]
January 16, 2021 — In a more innocent time, Schlitz, the beer that made Milwaukee famous, was also the beer with sunshine vitamin D. “A priceless source of vigor,” claimed the advertising. Similarly sunny claims are bubbling up for vitamin D in this time of COVID-19. These claims are based on observed correlations. But thinking that vitamin D might […]
November 23, 2020 — For some time, it’s been clear enough that obesity increases the risk for severe symptoms with COVID-19. CDC warns that even mere overweight status might be a source of risk. But what about the risk of infection in the first place? Some studies suggest a link. However, we would advise caution in accepting that conclusion. […]
