Elephant in the room

from the Youtube channel: The Diary of a CEO

1. Calories and Weight Gain: As people age, they tend to gain weight, with an average person gaining about 15 kilos between 20 and 50 years old. Dr. Giles Yeo, a leading expert on fat, suggests that counting calories is not accurate, emphasizing that food preparation, like cooking celery, can significantly change its caloric value.
2. Diet Stereotypes and Orthorexia: Veganism is often perceived as a diet for the privileged. A study mentioned indicates that about 49% of women following food accounts on Instagram exhibit orthorexic tendencies, an obsession with eating foods perceived as healthy.
3. Genetics and Eating Habits: There are genetic markers, such as certain mutations, that can influence a person’s eating habits and how much fat they carry. These markers can influence an individual’s appetite and ability to feel full.
4. Diet Myths: Commonly accepted dietary beliefs, such as fruit juices being healthy or alkaline diets changing blood pH, are debunked. Yeo also discusses the idea of body weight set points, which are genetically determined and difficult to change significantly.
5. Addressing Obesity and Exercise: The conversation highlights that the destigmatization of obesity is crucial to address the issue correctly and allocate resources where they’re needed. Exercise alone is not a highly effective weight loss strategy because it can increase appetite. The role of government in making impactful policy changes to address obesity is emphasized.

What about meat?

1. There is a safe dose of animal protein, and while we need to eat less meat for various reasons, complete elimination isn’t necessary for everyone.
2. Consuming less meat would have a significant positive environmental impact.
3. The topic of “eat less meat” (not completely eliminating it) was absent from the discussion in environmental conventions such as COP 26.
4. Criticism and debates surrounding meat consumption can lead to confrontations, as indicated by Giles Yeo’s experience.
5. The call to eat less meat did not focus on personal health alone but also heavily emphasized the broader environmental consequences.