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The FREAK-est Links

New book advocates following your gut. U.S. obesity rates keep on climbing. (Earlier) Ways to avoid hospital-transmitted infections. (Earlier) Red Lobster launches health-conscious Web site. (Earlier)…



How to Make School Lunches Healthier

…choices and away from the obesity-causing junk food. Just and Wansink point out that administrators often face a difficult choice between nutritious meals and the bottom line: It may be…





The FREAK-est Links

Prenatal lead exposure linked to male obesity. (Earlier) Researchers test Iraqi teenagers’ self-esteem. Cities in Japan, Sardinia, California boast the world’s longest-living populations. Helvetica makes list of “Top Ten new…



Episode 438

How to Succeed by Being Authentic (Hint: Carefully)

…roots of the obesity epidemic. He also argues for a style of capitalism and politics that at this moment seems like a fantasy. What does he know that we don’t?…



When the Solution Has No Price

obesity. True, billions of dollars have been made selling all sorts of diet and exercise and weight-loss products, but perhaps the best solution is the free one: eat a bit…




Cigarettes as Weight Control

We’ve noted before that the U.S. decline in smoking (among teens as well as adults) has likely contributed to the rise in obesity. In a new working paper (gated), John…




Getting Fat? Maybe It's Your Health Insurance

A new N.B.E.R. working paper finds a link between health insurance and obesity, and suggests that the better insured you are, the fatter you’re likely to be. We already knew…




The FREAK-est Links

Virgin to become the first airline to test biofuels. (Earlier) The “6 degrees of separation” theory fades under pressure. Is obesity really so bad? Sex workers expect business boom from…



Episode 211

The Economics of Sleep, Part 1

Could a lack of sleep help explain why some people get much sicker than others?

Episode 66

Does Health Insurance Make You Healthier?

It’s a surprisingly hard question to answer. Bapu talks with a health economist about a natural experiment that led to some unexpected findings….

Episode 31

How Much Do Your Friends Affect Your Future?

Also: Which professions have the happiest people?…

Episode 102

Adding Ten Healthy Years to Your Life

Physician Peter Attia returns to the show to talk about the science of longevity — which focuses not only on extending life but on maintaining good health into old age….

Episode 175

Why You Should Bribe Your Kids

Educational messaging looks good on paper but kids don’t respond to it — and adults aren’t much better.

Episode 34

Should We Have to Pay for Our Sins?

Taxes on alcohol and tobacco promise to make people healthier and raise public funds. But can they backfire? Bapu Jena looks at the complicated economics of sin taxes….

Episode 383

The Zero-Minute Workout

There is strong evidence that exercise is wildly beneficial. There is even stronger evidence that most people hate to exercise. So if a pill could mimic the effects of working…

Episode 407

Is There Really a “Loneliness Epidemic”?

That’s what some health officials are saying, but the data aren’t so clear. We look into what’s known (and not known) about the prevalence and effects of loneliness — including…

Episode 383

The Zero-Minute Workout (Replay)

There is strong evidence that exercise is wildly beneficial. There is even stronger evidence that most people hate to exercise. So if a pill could mimic the effects of working…

Episode 61

Does This Recession Make Me Look Fat?

A look at some non-obvious ways to lose weight.

Episode 407

Is There Really a “Loneliness Epidemic”? (Replay)

That’s what some health officials are saying, but the data aren’t so clear. We look into what’s known (and not known) about the prevalence and effects of loneliness — including…

Episode 31

How Much Do Your Friends Affect Your Future? (Replay)

Also: which professions have the happiest people?…

Episode 469

The U.S. Is Just Different — So Let’s Stop Pretending We’re Not (Replay)

We often look to other countries for smart policies on education, healthcare, infrastructure, etc. But can a smart policy be simply transplanted into a country as culturally unusual (and as…

Episode 24

The Power of Poop

The “Power of Poop”: Since the beginning of civilization, we’ve thought that human waste was worthless at best, and often dangerous. What if we were wrong?…

Episode 211

The Economics of Sleep, Part 1 (Replay)

Could a lack of sleep help explain why some people get much sicker than others?