Obesity - Are the only efficacious interventions drugs and bariatric surgery?
It seems like there are significant differences in policies put forth between researchers from biomedical backgrounds and ones from public health policy backgrounds. Pr Allison touched on this during recent interviews, noting that there is very little evidence regarding the efficacy of upstream obesity prevention interventions, such community gardens, combatting food deserts, nutrition education, and cooking classes. On the other hand, governments are increasingly turning to such interventions, as well as policies such as front of pack labelling (Canada, 2022), nutrition facts tables, calorie labelling on menus, as well as the aforementioned ones. Given your research on determinants of health and obesity, what are some of the most promising interventions to prevent NCD morbidity, as well as stones unturned in public health policy? Would you agree with individuals such as Pr Allison that in our current environment, the only efficacious interventions are drugs and bariatric surgery? Regards, Gabriel
Bacteria, obesity, and the brain
In 2018 a poster was presented at the annual meeting of the Society for Neuroscience titled “The human brain microbiome; there are bacteria in our brains!” which showed bacteria apparently penetrating and inhabiting the cells of healthy human brains. While the work was preliminary, have you heard of any further work in this area? What is your opinion on the possibility that, if bacteria do inhabit the brain, they could play a part in appetite regulation and/or obesity similar to how the gut microbiome can affect our health?
Stephen Guyenet vs. Gary Taubes
I just got through listening to the debate on Joe Rogan between these guys and firstly- clearly Guyenet "won," but I wanted to ask him about whey protein and why didn't he mention how whey protein increases insulin despite it being a protein and not a carbohydrate? If Taubes is all about insulin and carbs/sugars- wouldn't this fact destroy his hypothesis? Additionally I thought that overeating on any macronutrient would increase insulin simply because you are eating food? Also is it possible that both men are correct- that both schools of thought could co-exist and they both be playing a major role in obesity? I loved the debate but was thinking about these 2 things the whole time. Thanks!!
Quantifying Everything
As an iOS developer, my instinct is to assume determinism and quantifiability of the entire universe. I believe this to be fundamentally true. But what is hypothetically possible differs from what we can realistically know. I worry that attempts like yours to quantify some seemingly qualitative measures are doomed. I have similar concerns about happiness research. How do you reassure yourself you can really construct an algorithm that deciphers the "ideal weight program" for any given user - do you rely on averages?
Chronic dieting and appetite dysregulation
What is the current research around how chronic energy restriction or following crash diets affects appetite hormones and/ or appetite regulation long term. Is there a physiological mechanism influencing overeating attributable to appetite dysregulation caused by chronic dieting. I ask as this is something I am often tackling in my nutrition consultancy but research in biochemical and physiological mechanisms seems lacking.