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In the beginning he kind of touched on this thought..can we replace that salient appeal of food with another passion, like a hobby, art, exercise? Maybe that's really why some people who exercise lose weight. They are just replacing their addiction. But for most, exercise makes us hungry. There was another author who teaches writing and said her students got thinner, the more passionate they became about writing.

Excellent segment! Dr. Kessler really made clear something that I have suspected all along. For those of us in our late 40s or older, it's just shocking to see how overweight young people and people in their prime are. Yet, most of us, have to fight temptation with a sort of obsessive determination because everything becomes a trigger when it becomes attached to easy-to-grab and digest food. I can remember when in most cities in this country there weren't Starbucks or delies or pastry shops on every corner. It just wasn't that easy to feed the obsession. Most of us didn't go out to eat that often--it was a special deal. My daughter's generation, constantly on the go, eats out frequently. When restaurants try to make their food more appealing by combining salt, sugar, and fat, they get return business. I do think postin calories makes all the difference in the world. It should be mandatory! It definitely dampens the reward circuitry when you notice that everything on a TGIF menu is 1000 calories or more!

The US govt. learned much from the Communist Revolution. The general rule is keep food in everyone's belly and they won't think about their: unemployment status, debts, CEOs', rising MTA fees, rising Credit card APR's, the Mayor's attempt to overturn term limits and maintain Mayoral control of NYC Public Schools and the list goes on. When people are eating, they are fooled into thinking everything is OK and so they become complacent and indifferent. They shrug their shoulders and say: "What am I going to do?" Lesson: So, if a gov't wants to subdue/thwart a revolution brewing--Answer:
"let them eat cake"!!!

Great segment. Did you know that a resolution on food and climate ("foodprint") has just been introduced into the NYC Council? If adopted, it would help promote healthier, climate-friendly eating through local, organic, plant-based foods. One of the main goals is to make such foods affordable and accessible to all New Yorkers as a way to lower rates of obesity and chronic, diet-related diseases, including among kids in low-income communities. Expanding urban agriculture and farmers' markets and CSAs is also part of it. The NYC Foodprint Alliance, a consortium of community and non-profit groups, developed the resolution. More info here: http://www.brightergreen.org/entry.php?id=109

I'm too late to comment while Dr. Kessler is speaking, but everything he says makes sense. Americans are fat because they're bombarded with food temptation 24/7. And I live overseas, in Madrid, and the same thing is happpening in Europe too. Spanish oldsters are among the fattest in Europe, and Spanish kids too .(Could it have to do with the fact that Spain lags far behind in good daycare, so the Grandparents have to fill in...). anyway, I think it's a result of modern middle class society. Too much leisure, too little actitity, a sick idea of food as entertainment.....It's not only happening in the US.

Even healthy, organic foods can be difficult to avoid in excess amounts. Been to Whole Foods lately?

I lived in Paris and the difference is in the food! Taking time to make meals, eating at real restaurants, eating smaller portions and walking or riding bicycles. I have always been an acceptable weight because I have always lived by these principles. My last meal out was 2 months ago when I went to a Gyro restaurant.

Have you noticed how Dr. Kessler's examples are mostly from his own personal experience?

OK, granted, this guy has some interesting points to make, and I have already bought his book, but really it's HIM who has an eating disorder and who has written a book describing HIS own particular experience and making it sound like HIS overeating tendencies are the whole world's.

Not very professional and scientific.