Posts Tagged ‘bias’

Facts are stubborn because they’re real. Two new studies in Cell today shine a light on a basic fact about obesity that we’ve known for decades. Obesity is a highly heritable condition. Roughly 70 percent of a person’s risk of obesity is driven by the genes they inherit. But some people work awfully hard to […]

Beware. Gendered generalizations will almost always get you into trouble. But they surround us. And in the Washington Post, Monica Hesse points out Twitter founder Jack Dorsey can utter meaningless drivel about what to eat and it’s a “biohack.” However, from a female opportunist – say, Gwyneth Paltrow – it’s simply whacky. Hack or whack? […]

It’s been a long road for Intercept Pharmaceuticals to develop an important advance for treating NASH (non-alcoholic steatohepatitis). Five years ago this little startup company shocked the world when a monitoring board stopped a placebo-controlled study because their drug (obeticholic acid or OCA) had worked so well. A final round of 64 liver biopsies were […]

Blue Bloods is a CBS drama series about a family of police officers in New York City. Fans appreciate the show for exploring the reality of complex moral issues. Last week the show explored the issue of fitness – i.e. obesity – and unfortunately failed to live up to its reputation. Bottom line, the show […]

The logic is inescapable. Type 2 diabetes is a cruel, progressive disease that slowly, but surely destroys a body from the inside out.Strokes, heart disease, amputations, organ failure – they’re all part of a bleak picture. Intensive medical care can slow it down. But metabolic surgery can put it into remission. Three years ago, a […]

Why is implicit weight bias growing while other forms of implicit bias are dropping? Here’s one reason: routine and explicit dehumanization. A new study in Obesity documents a stark reality. Our culture is dehumanizing people with obesity. Furthermore, dehumanization provides an excuse for policies to discriminate against people living with obesity. Less Than Human Through a […]

The Partnership for a Healthier American (PHA) came from a desire by First Lady Michelle Obama to do something about the ever rising levels of childhood obesity. It was the private complement to her Let’s Move! campaign. But here’s the thing. The word obesity was absent from the vocabulary of PHA. It’s been all about […]

This is tricky. On Friday, the HHS Office on Women’s Health gathered a very diverse group. We came together to talk about talking about health behaviors and body image. The talk that has people concerned is in public health messages meant to promote health. But sadly, public health messaging – however well intended – sometimes […]

In the March issue of Bariatric Times, two outstanding advocates for obesity care take a hard look at weight stigma and offer a solution. “We have met the enemy and it is us,” say Paul Davidson and Pamela Davis. Health professionals contribute to stigma and thus, they can lead in overcoming it. The #1 Source […]

“Fanaticism consists of redoubling your efforts when you have forgotten your aim,” said George Santayana. Unfortunately, too many examples in public policy fit that definition. When fanaticism takes hold, purity becomes the yardstick. As a result, the opportunity for a good outcome can be lost. Let’s consider a few examples. Poisoning 10,000 People to Fight […]