Fat Chance: The bitter truth about sugar. Dr. Lustig Robert
of no one person, the waters will engulf them all.
Seat 3: The Medical Profession
Twenty years ago, obesity was a social issue, not a medical one. At the beginning of my career, a colleague in pediatric endocrinology (the study of hormones in children) would send a form letter to the parents of children referred for obesity that read, “Dear parent, thank you for your interest in our pediatric endocrinology division. Your child has been referred for obesity. Obesity is a problem of nutrition and activity, not one of endocrinology. We suggest that you seek general advice from your child’s pediatrician.” And despite the undeniable onslaught of patients referred, many of my colleagues still feel this way.
As the problems have soared and the research dollars have poured in, the American Diabetes Association (ADA), the American Heart Association (AHA), and countless others professional organizations have devoted a substantial portion of their agendas to the obesity pandemic. The standard mantra espoused by the medical establishment is, “Lifestyle causes obesity, and obesity causes metabolic syndrome.” We doctors recognize our role in mitigating the negative effects of obesity. But, again, for most physicians, the behaviors come first. The fault still lies with the patient.
Seat 4: The Obesity Profiteers
They say, “You’re weak. You’ve failed. Let us help you.” They profess to have the answer for your obesity problem and are peddling one solution or another. They are the obesity profiteers, and they represent large and vast industries, most of which are ostensibly trying to “do the right thing,” while making a fortune in the process. We have the otherwise reputable peer-group weight-loss programs such as Weight Watchers and Jenny Craig, which strongly recommend the option of buying their trademarked cuisine (often loaded with sodium) to bolster profits. There are the diet supplement people such as Nutri-System, who demand that you purchase their food if you want to see results. Gym programs such as Curves and 24-Hour Fitness charge initiation and renewal fees for membership. Then there are the companies that make home exercise equipment. Their late-night infomercials invariably show a buff guy stretching a rubber band with the implicit message, “You can look like this if you stretch a rubber band.” And then we have the “obesity authors” (gee, I’m one now!). Some are M.D.s, some Ph.D.s, some journalists, some pop culture phenomena, and some charlatans (none of which is mutually exclusive). All profess to have the answer to your obesity problem, peddling one diet or another. A few of these authors have developed corporations that want to sell you their food line, such as Atkins or the Zone. And each provides just enough science and nuggets of truth to hook the public.
Some weight-loss doctors and clinics peddle prescription appetite suppressants or other weight-loss remedies—all of which are paid for out of pocket. Some of these doctors are reputable and brilliant academics at medical universities who are trying to save people’s lives while studying the physiology of obesity. Some are surgeons who perform liposuction for cosmetic purposes and bariatric surgery for metabolic and cardiac rescue. But some of them are “cut-and-run” surgeons operating out of small airplanes and flying around to little towns to perform quickie lap-band surgeries or gastric bypasses. They take their victims’ money, have no quality control, never see the patient in follow-up, and sometimes leave medical catastrophes in their wake.
While the insurance companies refuse to shell out funds for this problem, the research money is pouring in. The pharmaceutical industry has spent a lot of money to come up with the “obesity blockbuster,” that magic bullet that will work long-term and for everyone. But that’s a pipe dream because, first, obesity isn’t one disease, it’s many; second, our bodies have many redundant pathways to maintain our critical energy balance, so one drug can’t possibly be effective for everyone; and third, there’s no one drug that will treat metabolic syndrome (see chapter 19).
Each of these people and industries have one thing in common: they are trying to make a buck off the misfortunes of the obese, to the tune of $117 billion a year. And they’re all charging retail. Out of pocket, cash on the barrelhead. No insurance reimbursements here. No discounts. In case you hadn’t noticed, the obese will do anything not to be obese, even throw their money away on “get-thin-quick” schemes. That’s why these industries are the obesity profiteers. Do any of their “solutions” work? Fat chance. If you just did what they told you, the fat would magically disappear. If it fails, it’s your fault—you must have been noncompliant! Yet another reason for the obese to be depressed. Think about it—if any of these books, diets, or programs actually worked for the entire population, there would be only one. The person who makes this discovery will likely win the Nobel Prize, move to a mansion in Tahiti, and be featured on Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous.
Seat 5: The Fat Activists
There’s nothing socially or medically wrong with being fit and fat; you’re doing better than the people out there who are thin and sedentary. But there is something medically wrong with being fat and sick. Especially if you’re suffering metabolically, which 80 percent of obese people are. If you fall into this category, you are costing society money in caring for your metabolic illnesses, reducing productivity, and clogging up (and bringing down) the health care system. Not to mention digging yourself an early grave! The vocal proponents for the political and social rights of the obese, primarily the National Association to Advance Fat Acceptance (NAAFA), say, “Being fat is a badge of honor. Be fit and fat, be fat and proud.” No victimization here. And I agree. But NAAFA is also opposed to academic obesity research where its primary goal is weight loss – because why would you investigate a condition that is totally normal? They don’t think attention should be paid to how much kids weigh. This is puzzling to me. There is something highly paradoxical about enabling your child to be fat and sick. The majority of obese kids will be diabetic and cardiac cripples by the time they’re fifty. The science and research that NAAFA’s policy would seem to exclude are critical to studying this epidemic and determining what we can do about it. It’s my job as a pediatrician to protect these kids from such misguided thinking.
Seat 6: The Commercial Food Industry
The commercial food industry responds to the obesity pandemic with two mantras. First, “Everyone is responsible for what goes into his or her mouth.” Is that true? What goes into our mouths depends on two things: selectivity and access. Second, “Any food can be part of a balanced diet.” True but irrelevant because, thanks to the food industry, we don’t have a balanced diet, and they’re the ones that unbalanced it. They are a major instigator of the obesity pandemic through both their actions and the kind of rhetoric they use to justify those actions. Corporations repeatedly say one thing, yet do another. McDonald’s now advertises a healthier menu, with commercials featuring slim people in exercise clothes eating salads. However, the vast majority of people entering McDonald’s, even if they come in with the idea of eating a salad, instead order a Big Mac and fries. And McDonald’s is well aware of this. Its recent billboard campaign, “Crafted for Your Craving,” says all you need to know. Carl’s Jr.’s promotion of the “Western Bacon Six Dollar Burger,” which has a whopping 1,030 calories and 55 grams of fat, generally depicts fit and attractive people consuming the company’s fare with relish. Do you really think they would continue to be thin if they ate this on a regular basis?
Food has become a commodity (see chapter 21), with foodstuffs that can be stored being traded on the various commodities exchanges. Speculators can corner the market on anything, from pork bellies to orange juice, by betting how much the price will rise and fall. And it’s because individual foods are treated as commodities that the downstream effects of changes in the food supply, and subsequently food prices, are being felt worldwide (see chapter 21). Cheap food means political stability. There is an imperative to keep food highly available and the prices as low as possible. Everyone is for cheap food. The United States spends 7 percent of its gross domestic product (GDP) on food, which allows the populace to buy more DVDs and iPads and take more vacations. But cheaper food, loaded with