obesity

Gary Taubes is no stranger to controversy. In 2002, the New York Times published his heavily debated article on low-carb eating, which he later expanded on in his book Good Calories, Bad Calories. Now he's stirred the pot again, with a new piece in the Times' magazine about the dangers of sugar — all sugar, not just the much-maligned high-fructose corn syrup — which he says could even cause cancer.

Nearly a third of children in North America are overweight or obese. But it’s difficult for doctors to tell which of these kids also have insulin resistance, which makes them much more likely to develop diabetes and heart disease in the future.

Never once, whether as a kid or as an adult, have I considered chocolate milk controversial. But controversial it is, as more and more schools are considering banning the beverage from vending machines and school lunch programs.

In my case, guilt isn’t a very effective way of curbing my behaviour. It may even be the reason I come back for a second and third helping when I’m feeling down and out. There’s evidence to suggest that shame in the form of public policy designed to curb obesity is similarly useless.

In today’s news: Javier Bardem and Josh Brolin lock lips; Americans are fatter than Canadians; behind the scenes with Old Spice; female empowerment is bad for your lungs; and why you can’t dance (it’s science!)