In the first recent piece of good news about the child obesity epidemic, the latest statistics on preschoolers—those 2- to 5-year-old bundles of joy whom we worry about so much—suggest that they’re less obese than they used to be. Between 2003/2004 and 2011/2012, according to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), there was a huge Read more
Obesity
Eating takes a lot of work. That “food coma” many lapse into after the big Thanksgiving meal is largely due not to the turkey, but to overeating. The caloric onslaught unleashes a cascade that sends a rush of blood to the gastrointestinal tract to help us digest, leaving less blood circulating elsewhere. It’s estimated that Read more
Most of us know schools as institutions of learning, usually associated with “the three Rs,” but now schools in 19 states are reporting progress on another subject: “BMI”—body mass index. These schools are measuring the heights and weights of students to determine BMI, a measure of weight based on height, then sending home letters to Read more
In a thoughtful, measured and well-reasoned blog post in these pages, Dr. Keith Ayoob recently discussed the AMA’s decision to classify obesity as a “disease.” As he concluded his post, Dr. Ayoob wrote: “I don’t care how obesity is categorized. I care about what’s being done about it…. We need to stop talking Read more
The American Medical Association (AMA) now officially considers obesity a disease. Prior to the decision by the full association, a special committee within the AMA, assigned to explore the issue further, had just recommended against labeling obesity a disease, so I sense a civil war. Here are the two sides of this issue: Calling obesity Read more
I recently submitted my ratings for the U.S. News & World Report Best Diets 2013. I am part of a panel that was asked to judge how well the diets worked for weight loss; whether they could reduce risks for cardiovascular disease and diabetes; whether they were safe and nutritionally adequate and easily adopted. As Read more
