Comment by abeppu | Hacker News Reader

Comment by abeppu | Hacker News Reader

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I do find it annoying that it's just assumed that weight loss followed by weight maintenance is _the_ goal against which we should measure "effectiveness". _Everyone_ has to eat, and make choices about what and how they eat, but not everyone needs to lose weight, and even among people who should lose weight, other factors like insulin resistance are sometimes more important measures for picking a strategy than weight loss/maintenance alone.

Comparing effectiveness of ways of eating without first identifying (and critically evaluating) goals is meaningless, in the same way it would be meaningless to declare that jogging and weight-lifting are equally effective without specifying a goal.

> but not everyone needs to lose weight

We're getting close to 80% obesity/overweight in the US with many other countries following closely. The majority of people in the west need to lose weight, we just got used to everyone being overweight

Goals are important sure. As the commenter above mentioned, most people are above what would be considered an ideal weight for their body. It's a fair assumption that these people would want to lose weight.

As somebody who finds it harder to gain weight, I still recognise that most have the opposite problem and understand that most content will be tailored to the average Joe, which is fine.

Alongside the above’s other points, there’s various evidence that intermittent fasting and caloric deficits are actually beneficial to the longevity of the human body. Okinawans are a prime example, as they have some of if not the longest lifespans due in part to this.

And while science cannot definitively say whether obesity causes problems, or some underlying problems cause obesity, it’s a fairly well understood fact that even if in your prime you’re healthy while being obese, your joints won’t be further into your life. Arthritis and general immobility are things I wouldn’t wish on my worst enemy.

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