I have just spent the last few hours discussing my position with some of the editors and writers whom I emailed with my concerns. I was both pleased and surprised at the number of members of mainstream media who took the time to respond to my queries.

I am 100% behind the effort going into obesity research and much good can come from their work--including drugs. There are certainly physiological issues that make it hard for many people to control their weight. But to write an article (as every major newspaper did) talking about how junk food can lead to obesity when stress is present and to not even mention the reduction of junk food as an option is a disservice to their readers. The article could easily have been "drugs to help obesity are years away so to improve health, quality of life, and longevity, people will need to figure out ways to reduce stress and improve diet." While this is less sensational and will less fewer newspapers, it is far more accurate and responsible.

Wesley Hein
Wesley [at] lifetwo [dot] com
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