The Obesity Myth

Grok Headline matches for The Obesity Myth

The obesity racket

The obesity racket 05/01/2004 12:48 AM
The Guardian has recently published excerpts from a new book by Paul Campos entitled The Obesity Myth. The book argues that the claim so often repeated by your TV, that two thirds of the population of the United States is "overweight" or "obese," is an elaborate hoax designed to move the product. From the perspective of a profit-maximising medical and pharmaceutical industry, the ideal disease would be one that never killed those who suffered from it, that could not be treated effectively, and that doctors and their patients would nevertheless insist on treating anyway.

The Riddle of Obesity

The Riddle of Obesity 05/10/2004 05:46 PM
Call it what you will, an American obesity crisis or a fatness epidemic, many of the unhealthy pounds are found in children.

What can be done to beat obesity?

What can be done to beat obesity? 05/26/2004 05:45 AM
MPs are set to criticise the UK government's record on tackling obesity as world experts gather in Prague to discuss the epidemic. What should be done?

Its obesity talk time, again.

Its obesity talk time, again. 07/21/2004 04:40 PM
Its obesity talk time, again. "Once the fried dough embodiment of hot and fresh, Krispy Kreme has transformed its original glazed doughnut into a new frozen beverage for summer." You heard that right. A donut drink. The United States is still food innovator #1!

Obesity Can Be Real Headache

Obesity Can Be Real Headache 04/16/2005 09:18 PM
Sci-Tech Today Apr 17 2005 2:09AM GMT

Insights on how obesity kills

Insights on how obesity kills 05/09/2004 06:30 PM
Straits Times May 9 2004 11:12PM GMT

Whales, Technology, and Obesity

Whales, Technology, and Obesity 07/27/2004 12:49 AM

Flying up the St. Lawrence River from Quebec City to Labrador and Newfoundland I saw about 100 whales in the water.  This at the same time that the newspapers were covering a debate about whether to allow renewed commercial whaling.  It is so easy to find whales from a plane, especially when the water is flat like the upstream portion of the river where the whales swim to find the richest food.  You just look for streaks of bubbles like a dotted line and the whale will be at the front.  What chance do these animals have against modern technology?  None, obviously.  Yet must we ban whaling?  Perhaps a compromise would be to allow whaling but only with the technology described in the book Moby Dick.  The whales had more of a chance back then and not infrequently managed to kill their hunters.

But maybe as the world population becomes ever more obese people will feel a greater kinship to these multi-ton creatures.  Once we're all incredibly fat and easy to spot from an airplane we will have enough sympathy for whales to leave them alone.

[If you are looking for a summer trip and wish to see a lot of whales without getting seasick, you can see Belugas, Humpbacks, Blues(!), et al., at the confluence of the Saguenay and St. Lawrence rivers (tourism site).  Sadly there is no airport right near the town of Tadoussac (Charlevoix is closest) but it is only about a 2.5-hour drive from Quebec City, right along the lake shore with a beautiful cathedral and then a big casino on the way.]

Peter Jennings on Obesity and What
Causes It

Peter Jennings on Obesity and What
Causes It 12/09/2003 02:43 AM

I'm watching Peter Jennings at ABC TV reporting on the problem of obesity in America. Interesting that our government is subsidizing a lot of the problem.

NHS obesity measures 'failing'

NHS obesity measures 'failing' 05/25/2004 11:55 PM
The NHS's record on tackling obesity has been described as "woefully inadequate" in a report by MPs.

The obesity racket || kuro5hin.org

The obesity racket || kuro5hin.org 05/02/2004 03:10 AM
The obesity racket

kuro5hin.org/story/2004/4/29/10059/5220
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Historical origins of obesity

Historical origins of obesity 05/27/2004 02:52 AM
Long, interesting Harvard Magazine article about the historical shifts in diet and lifestyle that led to America's obesity epidemic.

"We are not adapted to handle fast-acting carbohydrates," Ludwig continues. "Glucose is the gold standard of energy metabolism. The brain is exquisitely dependent on having a continuous supply of glucose: too low a glucose level poses an immediate threat to survival. [But] too high a level causes damage to tissues, as with diabetes. The body is designed to keep blood glucose within a tight range, and it does this beautifully, even with extreme nutrient ratios: we can survive indefinitely on a diet of 60 percent carbohydrates and 20 percent fat, or 20 percent carbohydrates and 60 percent fat. But we never [before] had to assimilate a heavy dose of high-glycemic carbohydrates."

Link (via Kottke)

Obesity and oral contraceptives

Obesity and oral contraceptives 12/29/2004 10:00 AM
David Pescovitz: A new study from the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center reports that women on birth control pills who are categorized by their body-mass index as overweight or obese are 60 to 70 percent more likely to get pregnant than "normal" weight women who also take the pill.

One possible explanation is increased metabolism. "The more a person weighs, the higher their basal metabolic rate, which can shorten the duration of a medication's effectiveness," she said. Another possibility is that the heavier a person is, the more liver enzymes they have to clear medications from the body, causing a drop in circulating blood levels of the drug. A third theory is based on the fact that the active ingredients in oral contraceptives – the hormones estrogen and progesterone – are stored in body fat. "The more fat a person has, the more likely the drug is sequestered, or trapped, in the fat instead of circulating in the bloodstream," (epidemiologist Victoria) Holt said.

Link

Obesity Rising Among U.S. Preschoolers
(AP)

Obesity Rising Among U.S. Preschoolers
(AP) 12/30/2004 04:59 PM
AP - The obesity epidemic is reaching down to the playpen: More than 10 percent of U.S. children ages 2 to 5 are overweight, the American Heart Association reported Thursday.

Three-year-old dies from obesity

Three-year-old dies from obesity 05/27/2004 06:10 AM
Heart failure, caused by obesity, has killed a child aged just three, it has been revealed.

Can Obesity Fatten Your Wallet?

Can Obesity Fatten Your Wallet? 04/06/2005 03:44 PM
Part Two of our look at obesity as an increasingly serious health problem looks at companies behind radical treatments -- backlash against the food industry.

Obesity op reduces hunger hormone

Obesity op reduces hunger hormone 07/17/2004 09:31 PM
A drop in levels of a hormone controlling appetite may explain why gastric bypass surgery patients lose weight quickly, researchers say.

Hormone pattern linked to obesity

Hormone pattern linked to obesity 06/28/2004 09:20 PM
The pattern of a hormone which controls hunger may explain why some people become obese, say scientists.

Medicare Changes Policy on Obesity
(washingtonpost.com)

Medicare Changes Policy on Obesity
(washingtonpost.com) 07/16/2004 12:04 AM
washingtonpost.com - The federal Medicare program yesterday abandoned a long-standing policy that obesity is not a disease, removing what has been a major roadblock for many people trying to get treatment for the burgeoning health problem.

Computer to combat child obesity

Computer to combat child obesity 07/22/2004 01:13 AM
Content.sina.com - Wed Jul 21, 08:48 am GMT

Doctors issue warning on obesity

Doctors issue warning on obesity 02/11/2004 01:23 AM
Leading doctors say immediate action is needed to tackle the rise in obesity if a health crisis is to be avoided.

Promising anti-obesity pill

Promising anti-obesity pill 04/09/2004 04:04 PM
Rimonabant is a drug from a French pharma outfit whose clinical trials show remarkable results in controlling appetite with minimal side-effects. It's being hailed as a drug with the potential to practically address the obesity epidemic.

Dr. Despres led a trial of rimonabant in 1,036 overweight patients at high risk for heart problems. All patients were told to cut their food intake by 600 calories daily. Those who received a 20-mg dose lost an average of 20 pounds and trimmed their waistlines by three inches in one year. Those given placebos lost an average of five pounds.

Link

Medicare Redefines Obesity As an Illness
(AP)

Medicare Redefines Obesity As an Illness
(AP) 07/16/2004 05:23 AM
AP - Medicare now recognizes obesity as an illness, a change in policy that may allow millions of overweight Americans to make medical claims for treatments such as stomach surgery and diet programs.

Obesity death claim is disputed

Obesity death claim is disputed 06/09/2004 01:20 AM
A three-year-old girl whose death was used to highlight the problems of obesity had a genetic defect, says a hospital.

Operation For Obesity Leaves Some in
Misery

Operation For Obesity Leaves Some in
Misery 05/03/2004 07:26 PM
Gastric bypass has become big business, but experts fear that inexperienced surgeons and inadequate screening and follow-up may harm patients.

Medicare Revises Stance on Obesity

Medicare Revises Stance on Obesity 07/19/2004 11:12 AM
Who will benefit from the agency's change in guidelines?

Obesity Becoming Major Global Problem
(AP)

Obesity Becoming Major Global Problem
(AP) 05/08/2004 05:37 PM
AP - It's a bitter truth to swallow: About every fourth person on Earth is too fat. Obesity is fast becoming one of the world's leading reasons why people die. In an astonishing testament to globalization, this outbreak of girth is occurring just as doctors everywhere but sub-Saharan Africa are winning the fight against infectious diseases from smallpox to malaria.

Kids' Obesity May Be Worse Than Thought
(AP)

Kids' Obesity May Be Worse Than Thought
(AP) 06/03/2004 03:43 PM
AP - Forty percent of public schoolchildren in Arkansas are overweight, and nearly one in four is obese, a sign that obesity among children nationwide is probably far worse than health officials had thought.

Discoveries Show How Obesity Kills

Discoveries Show How Obesity Kills 05/15/2004 06:56 PM
Fitcommerce-5 hours ago ... You can get automatic alerts from Google News by asking for updates from FitCommerce.com or about specific fitness and wellness topics. ...

More PE Time May Fight Child Obesity
(AP)

More PE Time May Fight Child Obesity
(AP) 09/06/2004 04:07 PM
AP - Just an extra hour of exercise a week could significantly cut obesity among young overweight girls, according to a study that researchers say could lead to major changes in the way schools fight obesity.

More PE Time May Fight Obesity in Girls
(AP)

More PE Time May Fight Obesity in Girls
(AP) 09/06/2004 07:37 PM
AP - Just an extra hour of exercise a week could significantly cut obesity among young overweight girls, according to a study that researchers say could lead to major changes in the way schools fight obesity.

Obesity 'could delete generation'

Obesity 'could delete generation' 12/27/2004 08:53 AM
Britain faces 'losing a generation' of children to obesity-related disease, the Duchess of York warns.

Medicare redefines obesity as medical
(USATODAY.com)

Medicare redefines obesity as medical
(USATODAY.com) 07/16/2004 06:36 AM
USATODAY.com - In a major decision that turns obesity from a personal failure to a medical problem, Medicare announced Thursday that it would remove barriers to covering anti-obesity treatments after 40 years of saying fat was not an illness and not covered.

Another touching, sad, chilling account
of obesity in America.

Another touching, sad, chilling account
of obesity in America. 07/19/2004 12:51 PM
Another touching, sad, chilling account of obesity in America. The story of Anamarie Regino, a 3-year-old who was abnormally large for her age. Anamarie was taken out of her parents' custody because, it was determined, her life was in jeopardy because of her size. This despite a 550 calorie/day diet and obvious signs that "too much food" wasn't an issue.

Eateries Push for Obesity Suit
Protection (AP)

Eateries Push for Obesity Suit
Protection (AP) 08/28/2004 11:47 AM
AP - Bills to protect restaurants and food companies against lawsuits by people who claim the meals or snacks made them fat are moving ahead in the states like hamburgers passed out a drive-thru window.

Study uses video games to fight obesity

Study uses video games to fight obesity 04/04/2005 06:46 AM
USA Today Apr 4 2005 10:54AM GMT

Touching, sad, chilling account of
obesity in America.

Touching, sad, chilling account of
obesity in America. 07/19/2004 09:35 AM
Touching, sad, chilling account of obesity in America People outside the US have this view of us as disgustingly, morbidly obese...and it can be true. This article from the Washington Post Sunday Magazine (free registration may be required) put a touching, terrifying, human face on one of America's biggest problems.

Child diets 'key' to obesity battle

Child diets 'key' to obesity battle 05/26/2004 09:21 PM
Improving children's eating habits is key to tackling the obesity "timebomb", MPs have warned.

Fast Food Linked to Obesity, Diabetes

Fast Food Linked to Obesity, Diabetes 01/03/2005 01:18 AM

Malaysian Military Fights Soldier
Obesity (AP)

Malaysian Military Fights Soldier
Obesity (AP) 07/07/2004 08:02 AM
AP - Malaysia's armed forces are fighting the battle of the bulge.
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The Obesity Myth

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