Posts Tagged ‘research’

Some call it a crisis of reproducibility. More than a decade ago, John Ioannidis famously told the world that most published research findings are false. His analysis quickly became the most widely read paper ever published by PLOS. You’ll find a more generous view in a new, special issue of PNAS. Attending to the rigor, […]

Here’s a diet that has everything. It actually provides for a pretty good quality of nutrition. It has a buzzy acronym – MIND – that suggests a compelling and very specific benefit. And it has the American Heart Association (among others) hyping it. The MIND diet has a lot going for it. Except for one thing. The […]

Are we numb to hype and little lies yet? Sad to say, they’re not confined to tabloid news or politics. Despite data that doesn’t support effectiveness claims, we see such claims for obesity treatment and prevention published in scientific journals. This week, researchers at Johns Hopkins and UC-Davis provide two distinct examples. A Virtual Health […]

Is the die already cast for obesity when an infant is born? Maybe not entirely, but in new research this week, we have fresh insight into physiology that can stack the odds before birth. Sobha Puppala and colleagues found that maternal obesity during pregnancy can lead to fatty liver in a fetus. So at birth, […]

Schools seem to be the place to start on a childhood obesity plan. School meals, health education, physical activity – strategists have a complete roadmap for preventing childhood obesity at school. But unfortunately, a new study published today in the BMJ points to the distinct possibility that even the most beautiful childhood obesity plan might have […]

Are we enjoying the comfort of our opinions within familiar circles, free from disquieting thought? All too often, the answer is yes. After all, critical thinking can be unpleasant. Perhaps we should note that this concern is nothing new. Consider this excerpt from a commencement address delivered at Yale by President John F. Kennedy. June […]

The range of health benefits from exercise is really quite remarkable. A longer, happier life, better sleep, better memory, and better health – just to name a few. But how can using your muscles have such a profound effect on your whole body? Well, it turns out that your muscles talk to the rest of your […]

We eat for many reasons, and one of those reasons is pleasure. Beautiful, appetizing food beckons us, even when we’re not physically hungry. Researchers label those qualities of food as hedonics. Food marketers know that these are the qualities that sell their products. And now, neuroscience suggests that women may be more sensitive than men […]

One of the hottest concepts in obesity is precision medicine. That’s especially important because obesity is different in every person who experiences it. One person might respond beautifully to a given treatment. Then that same treatment will have disappointing effects in the next person. So it’s exciting to see new landmark research in Cell Systems that […]

It’s an obvious and fair question. Quite often, we describe serious flaws in current strategies to address obesity. If we’re going to find fault with current strategies, then what’s the alternative? What should we do about obesity? Here, we offer three priorities that would be at the top of the list if we ran the […]