Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Extreme Weight Loss Fads Aren't Anything New: A Look Back At Some Of History's Wildest Ways To Cut The Pounds
The Washington Post: The Odd, Often Unhealthy, Weight-Loss Methods Of The Past Included Smoking Cigarettes And Eating Tapeworms.
Welcome to diet season, that time of year when people are looking for a reset after the overconsumption of the holidays. There is a smorgasbord of choices for those who are looking to lose weight or stave off a winter doldrums gain, and a few of them actually do work. Some of the trendiest weight-loss schemes, from intermittent fasting to Tom Brady’s alkaline diet, might seem a bit odd or excessive — until you consider some of the crazy or even dangerous things (tapeworms anyone?) we’ve done in the past to lose weight. (Bruno, 1/27)
The New York Times: For Real Weight Control, Try Portion Control
Unlike the myriad diet fads that have yet to stem the ever-increasing girth of American men and women, what Dr. Young describes is not a diet but a practical approach to food and eating that can be adapted to almost any way of life, even if most meals are eaten out or taken out. It is not prescriptive or even proscriptive. It does not cut out any category of food, like carbohydrates or fats, nor does it deprive people of their favorite foods, including sweet treats. (Brody, 1/28)
The Washington Post: Whole Foods Spinach Recall: Possible Salmonella Linked To Satur Farms.
The grocery chain Whole Foods on Wednesday announced a voluntary recall of numerous prepared food items containing baby spinach because of possible salmonella contamination. Whole Foods said in a notice the potentially contaminated products were sold in eight states and contain baby spinach and mesclun from Satur Farms — a Cutchogue, N.Y., supplier that initiated the recall. (Brice-Saddler, 1/25)
