July 7, 2025 — FDA Commissioner Marty Makary believes that defining ultra-processed foods is the key to overcoming the health problems these products produce. He recently told the New York Times: “We do not see ultra-processed foods as foods to be banned. We see them as foods to be defined so that markets can compete based on health.” So […]
May 8, 2025 — David Kessler is the former FDA Commissioner who laid the groundwork for aggressive tobacco regulation with a simple metaphor. He argued that nicotine is addictive like heroin or cocaine. Now he and many others are working to stretch that metaphor to warn the public about addictive junk food. It is a simple and very appealing […]
April 17, 2025 — The author of some of the most compelling scientific research on ultra-processed foods, Kevin Hall, is leaving NIH because of censorship of his science at the agency. “I experienced censorship in the reporting of our research because of agency concerns that it did not appear to fully support preconceived narratives of my agency’s leadership about […]
April 6, 2025 — Get ready. A few months have passed since the Scientific Report of the 2025 Dietary Guidelines Committee became final. But honestly, it seems like another lifetime when that was published. That was before the installation of the MAHA regime at HHS that is de-emphasizing vaccines, firing scientists, and promoting cod liver oil and “healthy” fries. […]
March 8, 2025 — “It takes years for scientists to prove things we’ve always known were true – like food addiction.” This thought emerged from the meeting this week of the Roundtable on Obesity Solutions. The current science of food noise was a focus. In the course of some outstanding presentations, three distinct and distinctly challenging concepts mixed together […]
February 1, 2025 — The sincerity and passion of Dariush Mozaffarian is easy to recognize and admire. His deep belief in the opportunity for good food to make us healthier is familiar. It echoes the impassioned pitch of a politician before Senate hearings this week. Too many Americans have too many “diet-related” diseases. Time’s a wastin’! Let them all […]
January 11, 2025 — Yes. This is a relief. We are in the midst of what used to be called “diet season.” Yet we are not getting an onslaught of advice about Atkins, paleo, vegan, or an assortment of obscure dietary approaches for fast weight loss. Instead, we are getting tips for healthy eating – such as this advice […]
January 1, 2025 — Thankfully, 2024 is behind us now and we have a blank slate for a whole new year ahead of us. But what can we expect? Well, proverbial (probably Danish) wisdom tells us “prediction is difficult, especially if it’s about the future.” Nonetheless, here are our top five predictions about what we will see in 2025 […]
December 16, 2024 — The closing days of 2024 give us a moment to reflect on the stories that defined this year in obesity and health. It’s been a big year, with no shortage of news on this subject. But the major themes stand out very clearly. Health Outcomes Beyond Weight Loss This was the year that objective evidence […]
December 15, 2024 — “Industrial farming is destroying the earth” and “ultra-processed food is poisoning us.” These narratives are hard to miss in popular culture. Their presence in scientific literature is more subtle, but equally pervasive. So the public is taking note. Ultra-processed foods have become the top food concern of U.S. consumers at the same time the public […]
