Today I found myself arguing with the NICE co-ordination team who are on the verge of recommending VLCD liquid diets for Obese Type 2 diabetics.
VLCD diets are associated with addictive behaviours, long term weight loss failure and severe binge eating, which can make people even more unhealthy. Of course they “work” in the short run, as does anything. Is it any surprise that some of the expert obesity specialists who endorse diet systems and who “do the research” are in the pay of these commercial operations?
In 2010 it was reported that Susan Jebb, obesity expert, is being paid by Rosemary Conley and Weight Watchers presumably to lobby on their behalf. Or something else. Just about all commercial weight loss enterprises have their expert obesity academic on their letterhead.to confer “authority” on their products. Do you think that such organisations should be compelled to disclose what they pay and to whom? Shame on the academics for taking the “kings silver” and for not having the courage to say that everything works for someone, that long term outcomes are pretty much the same for everything, and for not being able to admit which enterprises are causing harm.
I should know about harm – I pick up the pieces. On behalf of the overweight and ill, it is naughty.