4 ms·

Genetics is irrelevant. The impact of genetics in mice, as shown in the article, is practically the same in humans: ±10% in all but the most extreme, rare, and

Genetics is irrelevant. The impact of genetics in mice, as shown in the article, is practically the same in humans: ±10% in all but the most extreme, rare, and irrelevant edge cases. If you have bad genetics, eat 10% less and you won't be obese. Eat 15% less and you'll lose weight and then you can resume eating 10% less once at a healthy weight. In a typical person's diet, eating 10% less is equivalent to not eating 51g of cheese. That is a cube of cheese approximately 2cm per side. In the typical American's diet, not consuming the average 145 daily calories of sugar-sweetened beverages already gets you more than halfway there so all you have to do to get to 15% less is not eat the equivalent of two slices of sliced cheese. (113 calories, 145+113+113=371 = 18% of a 2000 calorie diet) https://www.cdc.gov/nutrition/data-statistics/sugar-sweetened-beverages-intake.html https://www.cdc.gov/nutrition/data-statistics/sugar-sweetene... If you are one of the EXTREMELY RARE, SPECIAL, AND STATISTICALLY IRRELEVANT edge cases, yeah, it's gonna be tough for you.

leereeves 4y ago
About 75% of US adults are overweight or obese[1]. I don't think telling people "eat 10% less and you won't be obese" is a sufficient response. I blame the companies that are designing foods to be fattening and addictive and advertising them everywhere. Even Subway (marketed as healthy) tries to upsell cookies and chips and soda. Supermarkets sell "salads" with a bit of lettuce and 500 calories of meat, cheese, and dressing. Even gas stations try to upsell junk food. Why aren't food companies being held responsible for the harm caused by their products in the same way that, say, big tobacco was? 1: https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/fastats/obesity-overweight.htm https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/fastats/obesity-overweight.htm
- davidn20 4y ago
  I don’t think people are blaming the individual, but it is up to the individual to take responsibility of their own lives. Obviously, a person environment has a great deal of impact, but the issue with saying “It’s all the corporation's fault!” Is you just surrendered any control over your life. You’re basically saying I’m a bag in the wind, and I am the way I am because of outside influences. Also, most companies exist to serve people. The reason most food are super processed and fattening is because that’s what people want. It’s not what they need, but that’s what people want. Most people prioritize cheap, delicious food over health, even if they don't say it.
  - bombcar 4y ago
    The key is to stop ignoring the externalities. Apply obesity taxes to foods correlated with obesity, or based on some caloric formula. Individuals can make good decisions, but as a species we continually make bad ones.
  - drewcoo 4y ago
    > I don’t think people are blaming the individual, but it is up to the individual to take responsibility of their own lives. But if 75% of us are overweight or obese, we're talking about a public health concern. I just masked up and hid in my home for a couple of years to avoid something effectively as harmful as the flu. Where is the response to the obesity crisis?

leereeves 4y ago

About 75% of US adults are overweight or obese[1]. I don't think telling people "eat 10% less and you won't be obese" is a sufficient response. I blame the companies that are designing foods to be fattening and addictive and advertising them everywhere. Even Subway (marketed as healthy) tries to upsell cookies and chips and soda. Supermarkets sell "salads" with a bit of lettuce and 500 calories of meat, cheese, and dressing. Even gas stations try to upsell junk food. Why aren't food companies being held responsible for the harm caused by their products in the same way that, say, big tobacco was? 1: https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/fastats/obesity-overweight.htm https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/fastats/obesity-overweight.htm

davidn20 4y ago
I don’t think people are blaming the individual, but it is up to the individual to take responsibility of their own lives. Obviously, a person environment has a great deal of impact, but the issue with saying “It’s all the corporation's fault!” Is you just surrendered any control over your life. You’re basically saying I’m a bag in the wind, and I am the way I am because of outside influences. Also, most companies exist to serve people. The reason most food are super processed and fattening is because that’s what people want. It’s not what they need, but that’s what people want. Most people prioritize cheap, delicious food over health, even if they don't say it.
- bombcar 4y ago
  The key is to stop ignoring the externalities. Apply obesity taxes to foods correlated with obesity, or based on some caloric formula. Individuals can make good decisions, but as a species we continually make bad ones.
- drewcoo 4y ago
  > I don’t think people are blaming the individual, but it is up to the individual to take responsibility of their own lives. But if 75% of us are overweight or obese, we're talking about a public health concern. I just masked up and hid in my home for a couple of years to avoid something effectively as harmful as the flu. Where is the response to the obesity crisis?