Comments on: From the News …

By: Amy

Amy — Sat, 20 Feb 2010 04:49:42 +0000

Did you see Katie Couric’s recent interview of Dr. David Kessler and Eric Schlosser called “Americans and Food?” Although I saw some hope in some of their comments, especially Kessler’s encouragement to eat real food, their suggested solutions to the obesity “problem” were disappointing. Why can’t parents turn their TV off (or tune it to a PBS station) if they don’t want their children to see commercials for junk foods? Why do we need the government to ban food ads aimed at children? Also, does Kessler really think people just need to be convinced that junk food is bad? People already know junk food is bad!

http://www.cbsnews.com/video/watch/?id=6213278n&tag=api

What, you didn’t hear John Banzhaf explain it? People can forget things like that if they’re not among the best and the brightest.

My kids see the same commercials as other kids. Funny how they don’t eat junk in spite of all those ads.

By: Paul B.

Paul B. — Thu, 18 Feb 2010 19:04:28 +0000

I think waist measurement is a much better measure to use than BMI but let’s face it, BMI is accurate enough for 90-95% of the population. Yes, it would mean Arnold Scwarzenegger (before he let himself go) or Brady Quinn would be obese but how many guys do you see walking down the street who are built like they are?

Re: the issue of linemen gaining weight, I agree it depends on what kind of weight is gained. I’ve seen LOTS of football players, esp. high school and college linemen, with enormous guts, man-boobs, etc.

The high-school football players I’ve seen around here just look big and strong. But I think it’s possible that the hormones that produce a 300-pounder — i.e., NCAA Division I or NFL size — also produce a strong tendency to be fat around the middle.

I’m not convinced BMI works for 90% of the population. George Clooney and Matt Damon aren’t especially muscular — Clooney strikes me as more on the lean side than anything — and I see plenty of guys walking around with builds like theirs. They’re both overweight according to BMI.

By: KD

KD — Wed, 17 Feb 2010 09:14:06 +0000

Just to add a little tidbit to the BMI discussion, my biggest relief since going low-carb for good and losing weight hasn’t necessarily been the smaller clothing sizes… but the knowledge that now I’m a politically correct BMI and I won’t be discriminated against by employers or insurance for thinking I’d be a lazy health risk. Isn’t that sad reflection on our times that that I think that’s the best thing about having lost weight? (Then again, I also haven’t started my strength training, so my BMI might creep over back into overweight when I build more muscle.)

If you put on a decent amount of muscle, I promise you’ll be overweight according to the BMI scale — which puts George Clooney, Matt Damon and Brad Pitt into the “overweight” category, Tom Cruise and Mel Gibson into the “obese” category.

By: Big Jay

Big Jay — Mon, 15 Feb 2010 20:42:55 +0000

At 6’2″, I would be 14% body fat at 280. The BMI is a joke. As a football player in college, I was single digit body fat at 240. I also pay extra premiums on my life insurance as a result.

Those rules for premiums were probably made up by people who won’t live as long as you.

By: Katy

Katy — Sun, 14 Feb 2010 19:25:44 +0000

Did you see this from the Business section of the NYT?

One Bowl = 2 Servings. F.D.A. May Fix That

On the one hand, the FDA wants to make the serving sizes more in keeping with what people actually eat, sort of like a Truth in Advertising statement, which I’d generally support. But then, Barbara O. Schneeman, director of the F.D.A. office that oversees nutrition [states,] “Ultimately, the purpose of nutrition labeling is to help consumers make healthier choices, make improvements in their diet, and we want to make sure we achieve that goal.” Further down, “…the agency may set rules to prevent companies from highlighting the good things about their products, like a lack of trans fats, while ignoring the bad, like a surfeit of unhealthy saturated fats.”

Silly me, I thought the point of nutrition labels was to tell me what was in the food, not to editorialize. I just want the facts. If I want to eat something for dinner that has a full day’s supply of calories, sodium, fat, etc., that’s my choice. “Healthy” vs. “Unhealthy” is a subjective judgment!

They’ve been editorializing ever since they put suggestions on the labels for how much to eat of each macronutrient … unnfortunately.

By: Kim

Kim — Sat, 13 Feb 2010 18:08:49 +0000

Tom: Is this the Gary Taubes interview you were referring to? I wish there was more detail on The Biggest Loser contestants, but it’s all I can find.

http://www.tmuscle.com/free_online_article/sports_body_training_performance_interviews/eat_your_lungs_out_while_getting_leaner

I love GT’s comments about animal obesity and the excessive carbohydrates in most pet food. We switched our kitties to a mix of chicken thighs (with bone), liver and tuna fish about three months ago. They’ve both lost weight and have never looked healthier.

I’m not sure if that’s the same one I read originally, but it works as well as any.

By: Katy

Katy — Sat, 13 Feb 2010 16:30:39 +0000

“I’m pretty sure a federal program titled “stop falling in love with the wrong women” wouldn’t have helped.”

SSSHHHHHH!!! Don’t give them any ideas!!

Exactly right; best watch what I say.

By: Robbie Trinidad

Robbie Trinidad — Sat, 13 Feb 2010 06:55:17 +0000

Not to defend Obama’s smoking, but I too keep doings things that I know are bad for me but can’t stop doing,… like falling in love with the wrong women.

…

Sorry, upcoming Valentine’s Day must be getting to me.

I had a very loooong history of falling in love with the wrong women. (There’s a reason I didn’t get married until age 42.) But I’m pretty sure a federal program titled “stop falling in love with the wrong women” wouldn’t have helped.

By: Nicole

Nicole — Fri, 12 Feb 2010 22:38:34 +0000

This is really silly: “Despite losing all of that weight, her ratio of fat to muscle was around 25 percent, 5 percent from where she started and dangerously close to what some researchers say is an unhealthy situation.”

25% is normal for a woman, and 22% is ideal…so what’s the problem?

They may have been talking about a ratio of fat/muscle only, as opposed to fat/total body weight. They didn’t define the term well.

By: shel

shel — Fri, 12 Feb 2010 22:13:46 +0000

“the solution to the obesity epidemic cannot come *from government alone*”

…so glib, so assumed, so statist. this quote says more about the Obamas than any book could.

what’s happening to your country?

…and to where can a Canadian run, in the end? yours is the last free nation.

They definitely come from the camp that assumes every problem requires a government solution. I’m sorry to say several nations have moved above us in the index of economic freedom. Even Canada.

http://www.heritage.org/index/Ranking.aspx