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Los Angeles Times
20-05-2025
- Health
- Los Angeles Times
You need more than Ozempic to fight food addiction. Here's how
Are cookies and chips the new cigarettes? And soda, breakfast cereals and ice cream the new opioids? In his new book, 'Diet, Drugs, and Dopamine: The New Science of Achieving a Healthy Weight' (Flatiron Books), former FDA Commissioner David A. Kessler argues that ultraprocessed foods — meaning 'irresistible, highly processed, highly palatable, energy-dense, high-glycemic foods,' as he describes them — have been purposefully engineered by Big Food to be addictive. He calls them 'ultraformulated' instead of 'ultraprocessed' so as to highlight the deliberate intent on the part of food manufacturers. As a result, 41.9% of adults in the U.S. struggle with obesity, he says. And by 2030, he projects about half of us will. It's a 'health catastrophe,' Kessler says, 'that has reached its apex on every level.' Toxic or visceral fat — meaning fat around our internal organs — has led to a rise in diseases and conditions such as Type 2 diabetes, arthritis, blood clots, hypertension, cardiovascular disease, dementia, stroke and certain cancers. GLP-1 weight loss drugs, such as Wegovy and Zepbound, have helped millions of people shed weight and curb food cravings. But they create additional health problems, Kessler says, and there's not enough scientific data accrued yet to speak to their efficacy or safety, long-term. It's a topic Kessler is intimately familiar with. He's battled food addiction since childhood, growing up in New York, and his addiction ballooned in college and medical school when sub sandwiches and chicken wings were his rewards for studying hard. He's since struggled with managing the side effects of GLP-1 drugs. To reverse the obesity crisis, says Kessler, we need to better understand addiction itself: how ultraprocessed foods take hold of our rational brain. We must also create a new paradigm for addiction, Kessler says, as the current one views addicts through the lens of weakness. In his book, Kessler urges us to recognize that obesity is a chronic condition that needs to be treated as such. The Times spoke with Kessler about healthy weight loss strategies for the long-term, guidelines for using GLP-1s safely, the body positivity movement and improving lifespan. This interview has been condensed and edited for clarity. In the book, you talk about 'the elephant in the room' when it comes to struggles around weight loss today. What is it? We've failed to recognize how difficult it is to escape the pull of food addiction and overcome our brain's built-in reward response to these ultraformulated foods that flood our food supply. I'm not talking about cocaine or amphetamines that excessively hijack the dopamine circuits. But the addictive circuits are part of all of us. We are all wired to focus on the most salient stimuli in our environment. And for many of us, that stimuli are these ultraformulated foods. Food is very, very powerful in changing how we feel. It's not a question of willpower. Our bodies have experienced an insidious decline over the past half a century. And that's been caused by this never-ending consumption of foods that can trigger the addictive circuits. How can we 'quiet the noise,' as you say, around food addiction? It's the interaction between the stimuli in our environment and our brains. Change our environment, and we can remarkably change what's going on in our brains. [Environment] is everything outside our bodies that we interact with, from the moment we wake up to the moment we go to sleep. What you put on your TV, what fast food restaurants you pass by on the way to work, we are constantly being cued. So you try to eliminate the cues. Or change your environment. Many of us don't have the opportunity to leave our environment. And the food industry isn't prone to change their behavior any time soon. But we now have pharmaceutical aids to help tamp that down. The effect of these GLP-1 [weight loss] drugs on food noise, that's the big discovery. GLP-1 drugs can lead to serious medical conditions that concern you. What are they, and what should doctors and drug companies be doing differently? The fact is that the only way you're going to lose weight — whether it's drugs or diet or surgery — is to have an energy deficit. [GLP-1s] are very effective at getting you to consume less. But some people are eating less than 1,000 calories a day. There are people eating 600, 800 calories. You have to be under medical care or you run the risk of malnutrition. Food stays in your gut longer and that delay in gastric entering [called gastroparesis] can cause its own set of symptoms as well as metabolic consequences such as hypoglycemia, low blood sugar and other metabolic states. They all result from malnutrition. Many doctors who are prescribing this are not well-trained in obesity medicine or in nutrition. And it's very important, if possible, that a team of healthcare professionals, including a dietitian, be available. There's no doubt that [drug companies] need to do a better job of studying the real world data. How to use these drugs, how to safely get off these drugs, is a key issue. There needs to be better labeling surrounding gastroparesis and the risks associated with these drugs. Most people aren't going to be on GLP-1s for life because they're expensive and have adverse effects, you say. Yet going off the drugs, most people gain back the weight. So what's the solution, long-term? The question is about intermittent use — can I use these drugs to get my weight off? Then can I use them, intermittently, over a lifetime? But we don't have data yet to know [if] that's safe. But you can use these drugs to condition yourself to learn how to eat differently. I eat very differently now — I don't want to put large amounts of food in my stomach. I've conditioned myself not to do that. How long that will last, we'll see. So you need a range of tools. That can range from nutrition therapy to behavioral therapy to physical activity — and they're going to vary for the individual. There's no one tool that's gonna work for the duration. The pharmacological tools are only one tool, it's the entire tool box that has to be available. But the most important thing is to recognize that this is a chronic condition that needs continuous care, even after you've lost the weight. Achieving a healthy body weight starts with understanding addiction, you say, not necessarily the old advice to 'eat less and move more.' Why is this so important? The ultimate answer is 'eat less and move more.' But we can't do that because of the physiological and addictive circuits — they stand in the way. We have to understand that addiction is not just about the weak and the downtrodden. It's part of all of us, those circuits. We can't overestimate the amount of stigma and shame and distress that many feel because they've been unable to control their weight. They feel it's their fault, they don't like themselves for it and society has created all these biases attached to it. The simple recognition [that] our brains are not fully under our control when it comes to these energy dense foods is a very important step. There's a delicate balance between the body positivity movement, which encourages people to accept their bodies as they are, and the health crisis that is obesity, which you say is a root cause of many diseases. How do you suggest we navigate that? That movement did a lot of good — it took the shame out of it, it took the stigma out. But it was at a time when we didn't have effective tools to reduce visceral fat. You can love your body, but also do things for your health. Those things are not diametrically opposite. And I'm not comfortable with the amount of morbidity and mortality associated with visceral fat and saying we shouldn't do something about that. As former commissioner of the FDA, what keeps you up at night these days? The recognition that visceral fat is causal in an array of cardiometabolic diseases that increase real disability in one's senior years. I think we're not prepared to handle that. We've only woken up to the fact of how toxic this visceral fat is. [Also], Trump's greatest achievement, in the first term, was Operation Warp Speed. And I was part of it beginning January 2021. The reason we were able to do what we did, and get those vaccines safely developed and produced and distributed, was because there existed institutions within our federal government: the [National Institutes of Health], the [U.S. Food and Drug Administration], the [Center for the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority], the [Centers for Disease Control and Prevention]. Those institutions had enormous expertise and resources. And yes, we had to put it together; yes, we had to do things differently. But we were able to build on that infrastructure. Now they're destroying that infrastructure. I don't get it. To end on a positive note: What amount of weight loss actually decreases future risk of disease? What's remarkable is that relatively small amounts can have significant effects. If you want to reverse certain conditions, that would require more weight loss. But almost any weight loss is going to add clinical benefits and be useful in reducing cardiometabolic risk.
Los Angeles Times
07-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Los Angeles Times
The week's bestselling books, May 11
1. Great Big Beautiful Life by Emily Henry (Berkley: $29) Two writers compete for the chance to tell the larger-than-life story of an heiress. 2. James by Percival Everett (Doubleday: $28) An action-packed reimagining of 'The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn.' 3. Audition by Katie Kitamura (Riverhead Books: $28) An accomplished actor grapples with the varied roles she plays in her personal life. 4. Broken Country by Clare Leslie Hall (Simon & Schuster: $29) A love triangle unearths dangerous secrets. 5. All Fours by Miranda July (Riverhead Books: $29) An L.A. artist pursues creative and sexual freedom after having an extramarital affair during a road trip. 6. Onyx Storm by Rebecca Yarros (Entangled: Red Tower Books: $30) The third installment of the bestselling dragon rider series. 7. The Wedding People by Alison Espach (Henry Holt & Co.: $29) An unexpected wedding guest gets surprise help. 8. Wild Dark Shore by Charlotte McConaghy (Flatiron Books: $29) As sea levels rise, a family on a remote island rescues a mysterious woman. 9. Small Things Like These by Claire Keegan (Grove Press: $20) During the 1985 Christmas season, a coal merchant in an Irish village makes a troubling discovery. 10. Intermezzo by Sally Rooney (Farrar, Straus & Giroux: $29) Two grieving brothers come to terms with their history. … 1. Abundance by Ezra Klein and Derek Thompson (Avid Reader Press/Simon & Schuster: $30) A call to renew a politics of plenty and abandon the chosen scarcities that have deformed American life. 2. The Let Them Theory by Mel Robbins (Hay House: $30) How to stop wasting energy on things you can't control. 3. Notes to John by Joan Didion (Knopf: $32) Diary entries from the famed writer's journal. 4. The Creative Act by Rick Rubin (Penguin: $32) The music producer on how to be a creative person. 5. The Book of Alchemy by Suleika Jaouad (Random House: $30) A guide to the art of journaling, with contributions from Jon Batiste, Salman Rushdie, Gloria Steinem and others. 6. The Next Day by Melinda French Gates (Flatiron Books: $26) The former co-chair of the Gates Foundation recounts pivotal moments in her life. 7. Conquering Crisis by Adm. William H. McRaven (Grand Central Publishing: $26) The retired four-star admiral's personal stories illustrate the principles of effective leadership during times of crisis. 8. Who Is Government? by Michael Lewis, editor (Riverhead Books: $30) A civics lesson from a team of writers and storytellers. 9. Careless People by Sarah Wynn-Williams (Flatiron Books: $33) An insider's account of working at Facebook. 10. Matriarch by Tina Knowles (One World: $35) The mother of singer-songwriters Beyoncé and Solange tells her story. … 1. Remarkably Bright Creatures by Shelby Van Pelt (Ecco: $20) 2. Orbital by Samantha Harvey (Grove Press: $17) 3. The Paris Novel by Ruth Reichl (Random House Trade Paperbacks: $19) 4. Martyr! by Kaveh Akbar (Vintage: $18) 5. Parable of the Sower by Octavia E. Butler (Grand Central: $20) 6. Table for Two by Amor Towles (Penguin Books: $19) 7. Tom Lake by Ann Patchett (Harper Perennial: $19) 8. The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood (Anchor: $18) 9. Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow by Gabrielle Zevin (Vintage: $19) 10. The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho (HarperOne: $18) … 1. On Tyranny by Timothy Snyder (Crown: $12) 2. The Backyard Bird Chronicles by Amy Tan (Knopf: $36) 3. The Wager by David Grann (Vintage: $21) 4. The Art Thief by Michael Finkel (Vintage: $18) 5. All About Love by bell hooks (Morrow: $17) 6. Meditations by Marcus Aurelius (Modern Library: $11) 7. The White Album by Joan Didion (Farrar, Straus & Giroux: $18) 8. The Artist's Way by Julia Cameron (TarcherPerigee: $20) 9. All the Beauty in the World by Patrick Bringley (Simon & Schuster: $19) 10. Sociopath by Patric Gagne (Simon & Schuster: $20)
Los Angeles Times
30-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Los Angeles Times
The week's bestselling books, May 4
1. Great Big Beautiful Life by Emily Henry (Berkley: $29) Two writers compete for the chance to tell the larger-than-life story of an heiress. 2. James by Percival Everett (Doubleday: $28) An action-packed reimagining of 'The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn.' 3. Wild Dark Shore by Charlotte McConaghy (Flatiron Books: $29) As sea levels rise, a family on a remote island rescues a mysterious woman. 4. Audition by Katie Kitamura (Riverhead Books: $28) An accomplished actor grapples with the varied roles she plays in her personal life. 5. The God of the Woods by Liz Moore (Riverhead Books: $30) Worlds collide when a teenager vanishes from her Adirondacks summer camp. 6. The Dream Hotel by Laila Lalami (Pantheon: $29) A woman fights for freedom in a near-future where even dreams are under surveillance. 7. Broken Country by Clare Leslie Hall (Simon & Schuster: $29) A love triangle unearths dangerous secrets. 8. Intermezzo by Sally Rooney (Farrar, Straus & Giroux: $29) Two grieving brothers come to terms with their history. 9. The Wedding People by Alison Espach (Henry Holt & Co.: $29) An unexpected wedding guest gets surprise help. 10. Strangers in Time by David Baldacci (Grand Central Publishing: $30) Two London teens scarred by World War II find an unexpected ally in a bereaved bookshop owner. … 1. Notes to John by Joan Didion (Knopf: $32) Diary entries from the famed writer's journal. 2. Abundance by Ezra Klein and Derek Thompson (Avid Reader Press/Simon & Schuster: $30) A call to renew a politics of plenty and abandon the chosen scarcities that have deformed American life. 3. The Let Them Theory by Mel Robbins (Hay House: $30) How to stop wasting energy on things you can't control. 4. Fahrenheit-182 by Mark Hoppus and Dan Ozzi (Dey Street Books: $33) A memoir from the vocalist, bassist and founding member of pop-punk band Blink-182. 5. The Creative Act by Rick Rubin (Penguin: $32) The music producer on how to be a creative person. 6. Everything Is Tuberculosis (signed edition) by John Green (Crash Course Books: $28). The deeply human story of the fight against the world's deadliest infectious disease. 7. One Day, Everyone Will Have Always Been Against This by Omar El Akkad (Knopf: $28) Reckoning with what it means to live in a West that betrays its fundamental values. 8. When the Going Was Good by Graydon Carter (Penguin Press: $32) The former Vanity Fair editor recalls the glamorous heyday of print magazines. 9. Careless People by Sarah Wynn-Williams (Flatiron Books: $33) An insider's account of working at Facebook. 10. Raising Hare by Chloe Dalton (Pantheon: $27) A meditation on freedom, trust, loss and our relationship with the natural world. … 1. Martyr! by Kaveh Akbar (Vintage: $18) 2. The Frozen River by Ariel Lawhon (Vintage: $18) 3. Orbital by Samantha Harvey (Grove Press: $17) 4. Table for Two by Amor Towles (Penguin Books: $19) 5. The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood (Anchor: $18) 6. I Who Have Never Known Men by Jacqueline Harpman (Transit Books: $17) 7. The Ministry of Time by Kaliane Bradley (Avid Reader Press/Simon & Schuster: $19) 8. North Woods by Daniel Mason (Random House Trade Paperbacks: $18) 9. Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow by Gabrielle Zevin (Vintage: $19) 10. The Paris Novel by Ruth Reichl (Random House Trade Paperbacks: $19) … 1. On Tyranny by Timothy Snyder (Crown: $12) 2. The Wager by David Grann (Vintage: $21) 3. Sociopath by Patric Gagne (Simon & Schuster: $20) 4. All About Love by bell hooks (Morrow: $17) 5. Grief Is for People by Sloane Crosley (Picador: $18) 6. The Art Thief by Michael Finkel (Vintage: $18) 7. The Year of Magical Thinking by Joan Didion (Vintage: $18) 8. Eve by Cat Bohannon (Vintage: $20) 9. There's Always This Year by Hanif Abdurraqib (Random House Trade Paperbacks: $20) 10. The Backyard Bird Chronicles by Amy Tan (Knopf: $36)
Malaysian Reserve
22-04-2025
- Health
- Malaysian Reserve
Physician and New York Times Best-Selling Author Dr. Michael Greger Releases New Longevity Cookbook: THE HOW NOT TO AGE COOKBOOK
WASHINGTON, April 22, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — Michael Greger, M.D. FACLM, the internationally-renowned nutrition expert, physician, founder of and author of the best-selling books How Not to Die, How Not to Diet, and How Not to Age, has released a new evidence-based longevity cookbook, The How Not to Age Cookbook (Flatiron Books, April 22, 2025), available now on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and Bookshop. In his New York Times Best Seller, How Not to Age, Dr. Greger revealed that diet can help regulate every one of the most promising strategies for combating the effects of aging. His Anti-Aging Eight streamlined evidence-based research into simple, accessible steps for ensuring physical and mental longevity. Now, in The How Not to Age Cookbook, decades of scientific research are put to use in more than a hundred wholesome recipes. Each of the simple, nutrition-packed dishes uses ingredients that have been associated with a healthy lifespan, with inspiration from the places around the world where people traditionally live the longest. Grounded in the latest nutrition science, The How Not to Age Cookbook bursts with delicious meals, snacks, beverages, and desserts that will help keep the body and mind nourished and youthful. For more information on The How Not to Age Cookbook and the latest information on evidence-based nutrition and health, visit Michael Greger, M.D. FACLM, is a physician, New York Times best-selling author, founder of founding member and Fellow of the American College of Lifestyle Medicine, and internationally-recognized speaker on nutrition, food safety, and public health issues. He is a graduate of Cornell University School of Agriculture and Tufts University School of Medicine. All proceeds received from his books and speaking engagements are donated to charity. is a non-profit, strictly non-commercial, science-based public service organization that provides free updates on the latest in nutrition research. More than 2,000 videos on nearly every aspect of healthy eating are available on its website, with new videos and articles uploaded daily. is a proud member of the True Health Initiative, a global voice for lifestyle as medicine. Information regarding Dr. Greger's New York Times Best-Selling books How Not to Die, How Not to Diet, and How Not to Age, his free Daily Dozen app, and podcast are also available on Contact:Mary Harris, Media Directormharris@
Boston Globe
16-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Boston Globe
Local bestsellers for the week ended April 13
3. Colum McCann Random House 4. Clare Leslie Hall Simon & Schuster 5. Charlotte McConaghy Flatiron Books 6. Knopf 7. Henry Holt and Co 8. Liz Moore Riverhead Books 9. Doubleday 10. Abby Jimenez Forever HARDCOVER NONFICTION 1. Avid Reader Press/Simon & Schuster 2. Mel Robbins Hay House LL C Advertisement 3. Crash Course Books Get Starting Point A guide through the most important stories of the morning, delivered Monday through Friday. Enter Email Sign Up 4. Scribner 5. Riverhead Books 6. Pantheon 7. Graydon Carter Penguin Press 8. Elaine Pagels Doubleday 9. Sarah Wynn-Williams Flatiron Books 10. Amy Griffin The Dial Press Advertisement PAPERBACK FICTION 1. Vintage 2. Amor Towles Penguin Books 3. Kaliane Bradley Avid Reader Press/Simon & Schuster 4. Daniel Mason Random House Trade Paperbacks 5. Harper Perennial 6. Emily Henry Berkley 7. Bonnie Garmus Vintage 8. Grove Press 9. Catapult 10. Vintage PAPERBACK NONFICTION 1. Crown 2. Vintage 3. Milkweed Editions 4. Knopf 5. Michael Finkel Vintage 6. Patrick Bringley Simon & Schuster 7. Julia Cameron TarcherPerigee 8. Matt Kracht Chronicle Book 9. Richardson, Penguin 10. Rashid Khalidi Metropolitan Books The New England Indie Bestseller List, as brought to you by IndieBound and NEIBA, for the week ended Sunday, April 13, 2025. Based on reporting from the independent booksellers of the New England Independent Booksellers Association and IndieBound. For an independent bookstore near you, visit Advertisement
