Michael Phelps vs. Michael Jacobson..."Diabesity"...Organic Claims

By ACSH Staff — Aug 20, 2008
A few interesting nutrition-related items brought to our attention this summer: As the Olympics began, the group Consumer Freedom noted some amusing differences between champion swimmer Michael Phelps -- a voracious living proof of the calories in/calories out equation for weight maintenance -- and head food nanny Michael Jacobson of the perennially worried Center for Science in the Public Interest. ¢ ¢ ¢

A few interesting nutrition-related items brought to our attention this summer:

As the Olympics began, the group Consumer Freedom noted some amusing differences between champion swimmer Michael Phelps -- a voracious living proof of the calories in/calories out equation for weight maintenance -- and head food nanny Michael Jacobson of the perennially worried Center for Science in the Public Interest.

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Science writer Marilynn Larkin, whose work has appeared in ACSH publications, crafted the introduction to this New York Academy of Sciences briefing on the problem of so-called "diabesity" -- eating habits formed early in life that can contribute to diabetes-related problems later on.

MDs Barry Levin, John Kral, and Gerard P. Smith were among the participants in a recent NYAS symposium on the troubling issue. Today's overweight children may be tomorrow's public health crisis.

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Finally, a new study suggests that claims of organic food's nutritional superiority are groundless -- and this is no surprise to ACSH, who recently brought you Dr. Joseph Rosen's devastating critique of pro-organic claims and his retort on our blog to the Organic Center's attempt to defend itself. Watch the Heartland Institute's Environment & Climate News magazine for an additional piece on the topic from Rosen.

Todd Seavey is Director of Publications at the American Council on Science and Health and edits HealthFactsAndFears.