October 1, 2024 — Almost immediately when the COVID pandemic came to dominate our lives, speculation began that the stress and changes it brought would make us all gain weight. Such speculation has not let up, even now. But it turns out that for adults, this is a false narrative. The best data we have for population-based estimates of […]
December 27, 2023 — Food as medicine programs can yield a fantastic medical benefit, say the promoters of this currently trendy concept in nutrition policy. If implemented broadly, they “would save lives and billions of dollars.” That’s the word from Tufts, where Dariush Mozaffarian is selling this concept with great enthusiasm. The whole idea behind these claims is that […]
October 28, 2023 — Oh my goodness. Wall Street is having waves of panic about the possibility that big food, big burrito, or big dialysis might not be able to keep selling us ever more of their services and stuff. For the last month we’ve been seeing ripples run through the stock market when investors started thinking maybe consumers […]
November 8, 2022 — It was lovely speculation while it lasted. Ultra-processed fake meat was going to save the planet and our health. Pat Brown, the founder and former CEO of Impossible Foods, claimed he could conjure up plant-based meat that’s “vastly better” than real meat. Even McDonald’s took the bait and began testing the McPlant™ burger. But unsurprisingly […]
July 19, 2021 — You might think that weight gain during the pandemic is simply a matter of fact. The editor of the Harvard Health Letter tells us it’s widespread. Speculation started early in the pandemic. With everyone cooped up at home, people spoke with certainty and derision about the quarantine 15. Or pandemic pounds. One paper even proclaimed […]
July 9, 2021 — Familiarity can breed contempt or it can bring comfort. A new position statement about COVID-19 vaccines from the Obesity Society brings us comfort. In fact, the more we learn about these COVID vaccines, the more we like. They work well – even in people with obesity and other risk factors. What’s more, the effect on […]
