The Tribal Urge to Belong

September 11, 2017
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Could it be that more obese people experience a higher quality of life because they come closer every day to being a part of the majority?

Are Obese Kids Miserable? Maybe.

September 8, 2017
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One of the big mysteries of obesity is whether the children and teenagers are happy or not, and how obesity affects their quality of life.

Are Obese Kids Miserable? No.

September 7, 2017
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There are so many ways for obesity to negatively impact a young life, it seems unlikely that anyone could remain emotionally unaffected.

Don’t Tread On Us

August 28, 2017
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The fourth in a series of posts about conscious and subconscious mechanisms that lead to behavioral change, based on a McKinsey Institute research paper.

What Drives Subconscious Behavioral Change?

August 25, 2017
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Subconscious interventions are more effective than the conscious kind, and are also more cost-effective — except when they’re not.

Conscious and Subconscious Mechanisms

August 24, 2017
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We are looking at an obesity research paper from the McKinsey Institute, to see how it could tie back to the teaching of a sage called Osho.

Philosophies of Behavior

August 23, 2017
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The world is full of theories about how to quell obesity, but which ideas and interventions are doable and cost-effective?

Obesity Villain Suspect — BPA

August 17, 2017
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Studies show that Bisphenol A (BPA) is an endocrine disruptor and contributes to the childhood obesity epidemic.

More About Berkeley’s Soda Tax

August 16, 2017
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Studies show that Berkeley had kept its word regarding the soda tax proceeds. A lot of it was spent on children’s health programs.

Lessons Learned

August 8, 2017
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The state of Arkansas tried to implement mandatory BMI screenings in schools, which was met with objections from parents on privacy grounds.

More Quality of Life Studies

August 4, 2017
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Studies show obesity and impaired emotional health can be mutually reciprocal in perpetuating each other, and the negative impact of obesity increases with age.

Quality of Life Studies

August 3, 2017
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Does the quality of life decline because the child is overweight/obese, or do children become overweight/obese in reaction to lives that are already messed up?

How About Those Phthalates?

July 31, 2017
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Evidence points to phthalates being endocrine disruptors. Their presence is associated with allergies, asthma, diabetes, some kinds of cancer, and obesity.

What Are Phthalates and Why Should We Care?

July 28, 2017
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No matter how you feel about phthalates, they are almost impossible to avoid because of their presence in food, water and air.

The Food Addiction — Eating Addiction Quandary

July 19, 2017
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Do you eat because you are depressed, or the other way around? High-fat foods can cause chemical reactions in the brain ultimately leading to depression.

Microbiome Revelations Continue

July 17, 2017
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When the microbiome becomes altered, is it because of the inadequate diet? Or are the harmful changes indirect, caused by conditions created by obesity?

The Microbiome Shares Its Secrets

July 14, 2017
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We are discussing microbiome awareness and ways that could possibly help people maintain normal weight without spending thousands on debilitating operations.

Early Days of Microbiome Consciousness

July 13, 2017
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Studies of the microbiome showed that gut microbiota influenced everything from autism to chronic pain to body weight, promoting obesity.

Valiant Anti-Obesity Efforts in the U.K.

July 12, 2017
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Unlike in the U.S., in the United Kingdom, interest in the subject of childhood obesity never seems to ebb. It just flows from one controversy to the next.

How to Seriously Damage a Microbiome

July 11, 2017
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How do artificial sweeteners affect our gut flora? The short answer is, not well. There’s strong evidence that our friendly microbes don’t like junk food.

Touring the Flaky Fringe

July 10, 2017
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Whether working mothers hold down jobs by choice or by necessity — they would rather not be blamed for childhood obesity.

Tales From the Flaky Fringe

July 7, 2017
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Today’s punchlines could become tomorrow’s reality, and if there is an underlying cause for the obesity epidemic it’s better to know about it.

Is the U.K. Shooting Itself in the Foot Over Sugar?

July 5, 2017
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Fear of sinking profits has inspired beverage companies to seek sugar substitutes to escape the sugar tax that kicks in next year in the UK.

Obesity in Scotland

July 3, 2017
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Studies show two-thirds of adults in Scotland are overweight. About a third of the kids ages 2-15 are overweight, and 17% are obese.

U.K. Obesity Crisis Ongoing

June 30, 2017
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Studies in the United Kingdom are reporting a surge in obesity, anxiety, depression, panic, and eating disorders in kids as young as four.

Beverages That Start With “K”

June 28, 2017
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Lab results have hinted that kombucha might influence both the production of insulin and the storage of body fat.

Saban Institute Shares Research News

June 20, 2017
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Eyes, ears and ideas are all brought together by The Saban Research Institute, which sponsors the Annual Poster Session in June.

Soft Science, Hard Science, and Dads

June 16, 2017
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Happy Father’s Day to the dads who consciously try to have a positive influence on their children’s self-images, and try to keep junk food out of the home.

And Still More on Fathers and Obesity

June 13, 2017
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Whether or not fathers realize it, the behavior they model matters a lot, be it sitting down for a family meal or shunning vegetables.

More Fathers and Obesity

June 12, 2017
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Statistics show that children in homes without fathers face higher risks of child abuse, drug and alcohol abuse, and childhood obesity.

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Profiles: Kids Struggling with Weight

Profiles: Kids Struggling with Obesity top bottom

The Book

OVERWEIGHT: What Kids Say explores the obesity problem from the often-overlooked perspective of children struggling with being overweight.

About Dr. Robert A. Pretlow

Dr. Robert A. Pretlow is a pediatrician and childhood obesity specialist. He has been researching and spreading awareness on the childhood obesity epidemic in the US for more than a decade.
You can contact Dr. Pretlow at:

Presentations

Dr. Pretlow’s invited presentation at the American Society of Animal Science 2020 Conference
What’s Causing Obesity in Companion Animals and What Can We Do About It

Dr. Pretlow’s invited presentation at the World Obesity Federation 2019 Conference:
Food/Eating Addiction and the Displacement Mechanism

Dr. Pretlow’s Multi-Center Clinical Trial Kick-off Speech 2018:
Obesity: Tackling the Root Cause

Dr. Pretlow’s 2017 Workshop on
Treatment of Obesity Using the Addiction Model

Dr. Pretlow’s invited presentation for
TEC and UNC 2016

Dr. Pretlow’s invited presentation at the 2015 Obesity Summit in London, UK.

Dr. Pretlow’s invited keynote at the 2014 European Childhood Obesity Group Congress in Salzburg, Austria.

Dr. Pretlow’s presentation at the 2013 European Congress on Obesity in Liverpool, UK.

Dr. Pretlow’s presentation at the 2011 International Conference on Childhood Obesity in Lisbon, Portugal.

Dr. Pretlow’s presentation at the 2010 Uniting Against Childhood Obesity Conference in Houston, TX.

Food & Health Resources