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We are trapped in a junk food cycle that is making us sick

We are trapped in a junk food cycle that is making us sick

29 March 2023

Poor diet is the biggest cause of avoidable illness and premature death in high-income countries. Our food system is broken, say Henry Dimbleby and Jemima Lewis


Have we got the science of obesity back to front?

Have we got the science of obesity back to front?

5 January 2022

Putting on weight is often blamed on overeating, but new evidence is emerging that it is actually the other way round, says David S. Ludwig


Calories on food packets are wrong – it's time to change that

Calories on food packets are wrong – it's time to change that

16 June 2021

The calories on food packets don't actually take into account how our bodies use them. It is time we demanded better information on what we consume, says Giles Yeo


We are witnessing an accelerated shift in how people view food

We are witnessing an accelerated shift in how people view food

16 June 2021

There has been a sharp change in what some people consider healthy to eat and a lot of it flies in the face of the evidence, writes James Wong


Food allergies could soon become a thing of the past – here's why

Food allergies could soon become a thing of the past – here's why

10 March 2021

Allergic reactions to foods are a growing, potentially life-threatening problem. The good news is we can turn this around, says Kari Nadeau


Claims that some diets can protect you from coronavirus are unfounded

Claims that some diets can protect you from coronavirus are unfounded

10 June 2020

Plenty of diets offer to boost your immune system to help protect you from covid-19, but there isn't any evidence they are true, says James Wong


Is your salad going to kill you?

Is your salad going to kill you?

19 March 2020

Plants need nitrates for good growth, but they can also accumulate in leaves of crops like rocket. So are foods like this safe to eat, wonders James Wong


The 'ancestral diet' doesn't make sense and relies on lazy stereotypes

The 'ancestral diet' doesn't make sense and relies on lazy stereotypes

19 February 2020

Eating like your ancestors did 5000 years ago is a fad on the rise. James Wong wonders if following the "ancestral diet" means he should eat pangolins or live a life of abject poverty


The claim that our food is becoming less nutritious is overblown

The claim that our food is becoming less nutritious is overblown

22 January 2020

Claims that our food is becoming less nutritious are often bandied about, but the truth is far more complicated, says James Wong


Forget exercise and diet fads – this is the secret of a healthy life

Forget exercise and diet fads – this is the secret of a healthy life

15 January 2020

New Scientist columnist Graham Lawton has just written a scientific guide to healthy diet, sleep and exercise – and says the evidence for what works is crystal clear


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