> While there are many many factors affecting obesity, I am still convinced that the most significant factor is that people are basically delusional about how much they actually need to eat and how much energy is actually in various foods. I could be wrong, but I've seen no rigorously done science that convinces me otherwise yet.
Why do you think that people become delusional or have become increasingly delusional in the last 40 to 50 years?
I'm pretty convinced that things like adenovirus 36 infection, phthalate exposure (especially in utero and as a young child) are obesogenic. I do think you're right that people are probably eating larger portions than in the 80's and often eating more calories, but I wouldn't be surprised is a large part of the reason why was because of obesogenic compounds and diseases.
Another reason I find this easy to believe is research on body weight homeostasis is pretty convincing. The leptin system is pretty strong at getting (some) people to eat less after eating more than usual one day and getting them to eat more after eating less than usual. There is also convincing research on what researchers call the gravitostat which, independent of leptin, alters hunger through weight-dependent signals from osteocytes in the large bones of the body.
What do you think of the growing research on other obesogenics? and of populations that have had excessive carb intake for a long, long time? I think many things seem more probable than just carbs and PUFAs.
I do agree the author's have taken some leaps. Leaps have to be taken as there is imperfect data to support any theory on the obesity epidemic, but I agree that leaps should be better acknowledged.
What do you think of the lack of correlation between sucrose and obesity that the authors' site? I think it was in one of their previous articles in this series.
I would love to see an RCT on a ton of really common environmental contaminants at different dosages in the human diet. Of course this would be incredibly unethical and inefficient with respect to human welfare, but it would, I think, finally get people to believe that there are obesegenic compounds (and viruses) that need to be avoided for proper metabolic health.
Phthalates, Adenovirus 36, bisphenols, certain pesticides and fungicides--which ones should we be investing in getting rid of?
Why do you think that people become delusional or have become increasingly delusional in the last 40 to 50 years?
I'm pretty convinced that things like adenovirus 36 infection, phthalate exposure (especially in utero and as a young child) are obesogenic. I do think you're right that people are probably eating larger portions than in the 80's and often eating more calories, but I wouldn't be surprised is a large part of the reason why was because of obesogenic compounds and diseases.
Another reason I find this easy to believe is research on body weight homeostasis is pretty convincing. The leptin system is pretty strong at getting (some) people to eat less after eating more than usual one day and getting them to eat more after eating less than usual. There is also convincing research on what researchers call the gravitostat which, independent of leptin, alters hunger through weight-dependent signals from osteocytes in the large bones of the body.