Leave it to the math geeks

  • Did anyone catch the NYtimes article interviewing the mathematician/physicist that is now working at the National Institutes of Health modeling obesity scenarios? Nothing like MIT trained scientists to tell me I am fat because I eat too much. Anyway, I thought the simulator they linked to was interesting. Here is a link:
    http://bwsimulator.niddk.nih.gov/
  • Yes, I skimmed that article. The overall point---the abundance of food in this country has led to our obesity problem---actually makes sense and plays itself out for me on an individual level as well. I find that when my refrigerator is stocked with lots of food and I have many choices, I eat worse than when I just have a few items and few choices. In fact, years ago I remember reading something that said that people who maintain their weight effortlessly (i.e., "naturally" thin folks) tend to eat many of the same foods routinely than those who have a weight problem. I know that I love variety, and I do think that has contributed to my weight problem.

    It's funny, but that calculator seems to have a higher calorie range for me than many online calculators, but it's also more accurate (i.e., I can maintain my weight on roughly the amount it says I can).