Tag Archives: obesity

Portion Distortion

Posted on March 1, 2012 by Toni Kuehneman

Recently, The New York Times reported on a story from the Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI). Michael Jacobsen, Ph.D, is the director of CSPI – but I like to call him the “chief of the food police” as he is usually featured in the news media informing the public about high calorie popcorn served at theaters, the high fat food served at some Chinese restaurants and so on. In these stories, his emphasis is on the negative. While he does provide solutions at times, his message often … Continue reading →

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Starving Children in China

Posted on January 23, 2012 by Eric Van De Graaff, M.D.

A few decades ago children all over this country were expected to polish off platefuls of brussel sprouts and broccoli when reminded of the starving children in China.  My own mother didn’t employ this guilt trip very often, but even I remember being told how lucky I was to have a pile of droopy string beans when kids in Beijing were at that very moment scrounging the streets for scraps of food. Boy, how times have changed.  A recent National Public Radio report highlighted a new problem faced by the … Continue reading →

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The Lean Lifestyle

Posted on October 17, 2011 by Eric Van De Graaff, M.D.

A couple of years ago I had a discussion with a colleague of mine who exercises regularly, keeps herself fit, and watches her weight closely. She is a person who seems to effortlessly stay thin and whose size never varies by more than a few pounds. I was surprised to hear from her a relatively vitriolic tirade about her irritation with people who believe she doesn’t have to work hard to keep herself looking good. “You have no idea how many times I hear people tell me how lucky I am that I’m … Continue reading →

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Happy Meals vs. Healthy Meals: Part 2

Posted on July 26, 2011 by Jen Homann

Oh no – is she seriously bringing up this topic again!? Yes. Yes I am. But relax. According to McDonald’s – we no longer have to choose (or let the government choose) between Happy Meals and health(ier) meals for our children. The fast food giant is instead making a pre-emptive strike on its high-calorie kid’s meals, cutting the serving size for French fries by more than half (2.4 ounces to 1.1), and by adding ¼ cup of sliced apples – without the caramel dipping sauce). They estimate the new Happy … Continue reading →

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Obese Children: Should the state intervene?

Posted on July 13, 2011 by Jen Homann

A commentary out today in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) suggests extremely obese children should be removed from their parents’ custody. The piece, penned by a Boston obesity specialist and a Harvard lawyer, argues that placing these children temporarily in foster care may be more ethical than other options, such as obesity surgery. An early AP report quotes the author, saying that, “state intervention ‘ideally will support not just the child, but the whole family, with the goal of reuniting child and family as soon as possible. … Continue reading →

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