Two great tastes that go together. . .

My latest Skeptical Enquirer has an analysis of the so-called "obesity epidemic." Along the way, they examine some contradictory evidence and debunk some claims about certain food and drink that are supposed to be so great for you (i.e. green tea and red wine).

I also like the fact that they say that the fact that the CDC corrected their numbers on the so-called obesity epidemic is points in their favor because science is supposed to be self-correcting. "Science is about provisional truths that can be changed when evidence indicates that they should be."

Quotes from the last two paragraphs sum up how I feel about the "war on obesity" pretty well:

"The evidence still shows that morbid obesity is associated with an increased likelihood of developing disease and suffering from early mortality, but it also shows that those who are a few pounds overweight don't need to panic. What's more, it is clear that everyone, fat or thin, will benefit from regular exercise regardless of whether they lose weight.

The lesson to be learned from this controversy is that rational moderation is in order."

more about the CDC revising its figures here:

http://www.prnewswire.com/cgi-bin/stories.pl?ACCT=109&STORY=/www/story/04-19-2005/0003436025&EDATE=