They spend tax money on this?

I subscribe to the National Institute of Health press releases. Today was one of the most absurd stories.

They are doing this big study because “The senses of smell and taste may have greater bearing on health than is generally accepted by both doctors and patients. Recent research suggests that these senses and their influence on behavior have implications for nutrition, aging, mental health, obesity, diabetes and safety.”

You are kidding, right? I mean, the people who “don’t like vegetables” of course are typically overweight and have health problems. Duh! Do we need to spend millions of tax dollars to figure this out? It gets better…

“Scientists who study smell and taste are uncovering evidence that these senses make surprising contributions to our overall health. Genetic variations and smell and taste disorders may underlie dietary habits and impact weight, blood pressure and other risk factors for cardiovascular disease or diabetes. However, epidemiologists have conducted few studies to measure the prevalence and types of smell and taste disorders in the general population or among various age groups. In this symposium, NIDCD epidemiologist Howard Hoffman will describe NIH efforts to encourage improved collection of statistical data on normal and disordered smell and taste.”

You know what comes next, right?

If you refuse to eat right and you are overweight and/or unhealthy as a result – you can be classified as having a taste disorder. So it’s not your fault at all. And they will come up with some kind of drug to fix you. Don’t believe me?

“From the donut counter to our ever-expanding waistlines, scientists are seeking clues about what could be driving the obesity epidemic in America. While much of the research effort is focused on how the body uses and stores energy, NIDCD-supported research is uncovering valuable clues through studies on the sense of taste. Studies on sweet taste receptors are providing new evidence for biological factors that raise or lower sensitivity to sweet tastes and might stoke desire for cookies, cake, ice cream and other sweet treats. In this symposium, Steven Munger, Ph.D., of the University of Maryland School of Medicine, will present recent findings on a hormone known as glucagon — like peptide-1 (GLP-1) that appears to modulate sensitivity to sweet tastes. Scientists already knew that GLP-1 produced in the gut stimulates insulin production. Munger and his collaborators from NIH’s National Institute on Aging demonstrated that GLP-1 is also made in taste buds and appears to act on taste cells to maintain or enhance sweet taste sensitivity. This discovery suggests that interventions aimed at the taste buds might be able to dull sweet cravings.”

It couldn’t possibly have anything to do with the fact that packaged foods are all loaded with corn syrups and that people have gotten accustomed to everything tasting sweet? Could it?

Try giving up packaged foods for a couple of months and then try to go back and eat something you used to think tasted good. Even (canned) tomato soup is sickeningly sweet.

I am livid that we spend millions of dollars on this kind of nonsense.

Mother says – eat a balanced diet and you’ll lose weight and be healthy and full of energy.

Give up pop and packaged foods and half your battle is over. Add some veggies and a little exercise and you’re on the road to health. You’ll never need to diet. It really is that simple. We don’t need to spend millions to find the answer. But I guess common sense doesn’t sell.

Shaking my head… 

Carole

Do you need help eating right?