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How is a drug that reduces appetite and eating not solving the root cause of obesity?

by sbelskie 2y ago

_aavaa_ 2y ago
Because the root cause isn't a sudden increase in appetite. What caused people's appetite to increase?
- 015UUZn8aEvW 2y ago
  >Because the root cause isn't a sudden increase in appetite. It seems plausible that the introduction of evolutionarily novel ultraprocessed foods, designed by scientists in labs to be as tasty as possible, could increase a lot of people's appetites.
  - _aavaa_ 2y ago
    I agree that they might create a positive feedback loop, see for example the ever-present sugar cravings that take a few days-weeks of no dessert or sugar to subside. The processed foods however is what we’d want to get rid of. Otherwise all we do is slow down the loop, and add in more side effects.
  - fransje26 2y ago
    > It seems plausible that the introduction of evolutionarily novel ultraprocessed foods, designed by scientists in labs to be as tasty as possible, could increase a lot of people's appetites. Bravo. So we also know what we should go after instead of simply compensating the issue with new pills. Because we also know how well the pill approach worked in the US when handling pain..
    - viraptor 2y ago
      This would address future generations, after a lengthy analysis and fights about what actually should be regulated and how. It wouldn't do anything for people right now. So yeah, we could improve the future, but there's also lots of people who need help today and bringing up "but we failed in that one specific case" while being silent about everything else in medicine is silly.
- kelseyfrog 2y ago
  The solution to a problem isn't limited to undoing the cause. Pros and cons not withstanding, any intervention which reduces obesity is a solution. Think of it like having a flat and thinking that taking the nail out of the tire is the only way to fix it. Replacing the tire also works.
  - _aavaa_ 2y ago
    Any permanent solution must address the cause otherwise it isn't a solution, it's at best a band-aid. The problem with analogies like this is that they make no sense. A medication that suppresses appetite isn't replacing the tire. Second, replacing the tire is worthless if the road ahead has another million nails on it.

How is a drug that reduces appetite and eating not solving the root cause of obesity?

_aavaa_ 2y ago

Because the root cause isn't a sudden increase in appetite. What caused people's appetite to increase?

015UUZn8aEvW 2y ago
>Because the root cause isn't a sudden increase in appetite. It seems plausible that the introduction of evolutionarily novel ultraprocessed foods, designed by scientists in labs to be as tasty as possible, could increase a lot of people's appetites.
- _aavaa_ 2y ago
  I agree that they might create a positive feedback loop, see for example the ever-present sugar cravings that take a few days-weeks of no dessert or sugar to subside. The processed foods however is what we’d want to get rid of. Otherwise all we do is slow down the loop, and add in more side effects.
- fransje26 2y ago
  > It seems plausible that the introduction of evolutionarily novel ultraprocessed foods, designed by scientists in labs to be as tasty as possible, could increase a lot of people's appetites. Bravo. So we also know what we should go after instead of simply compensating the issue with new pills. Because we also know how well the pill approach worked in the US when handling pain..
  - viraptor 2y ago
    This would address future generations, after a lengthy analysis and fights about what actually should be regulated and how. It wouldn't do anything for people right now. So yeah, we could improve the future, but there's also lots of people who need help today and bringing up "but we failed in that one specific case" while being silent about everything else in medicine is silly.
kelseyfrog 2y ago
The solution to a problem isn't limited to undoing the cause. Pros and cons not withstanding, any intervention which reduces obesity is a solution. Think of it like having a flat and thinking that taking the nail out of the tire is the only way to fix it. Replacing the tire also works.
- _aavaa_ 2y ago
  Any permanent solution must address the cause otherwise it isn't a solution, it's at best a band-aid. The problem with analogies like this is that they make no sense. A medication that suppresses appetite isn't replacing the tire. Second, replacing the tire is worthless if the road ahead has another million nails on it.