a useful tool for the RW. The research dollars poured into tobacco research when lawsuits were won and states were to receive settlements from the tobacco companies. The obesity research took off when the connection between diabetes and obesity was confirmed. The results of this research have been used in shorthand to blame people for their own health problems.
There are mountains of research that are providing a more complete picture of health in the US. The research is not used for practical purposes such as policy decisions or accurate medical care. The research points to environmental exposures from fetal development throughout a lifetime. Very few dollars are put into this kind of research - miniscule compared to what has been spent on tobacco research.
Which is not to say that smoking and being overweight are good things, but -
Exposure to certain endocrine disrupting chemicals, which are found in all kinds of products, can cause weight gain. Chemicals such as DDT can cause type 2 diabetes. Automobile exhaust affects the cardiovascular system and increases the risk of heart attack. Some zero calorie sugar substitutes cause weight gain. Some chemicals affect the electrical system in the body, hence, arrhythmias. Endocrine disrupting chemicals have been implicated in many cancers including prostate, testicular, breast, ovarian, etc. (See Environmental Health Perspectives, publication of National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, part if National Health Institutes - for some interesting research that is more likely to be utilized in Europe than the US)
But chemicals and pollution will never be part of the blame game. It is much easier to entice people to blame each other, such as your neighbor. Changing policies and holding companies accountable for in-depth safety testing of their products will never happen. They spend their dollars on stopping the government from requiring adequate research.
Thanks for listening.
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