Dr. Lustig and his UCSF colleagues dig deeper into the root causes of the obesity epidemic. Discover why what we eat is as important as how much we eat. Understand the effects of stress on obesity rates, and why some predict that the next generation will die younger than the current one due to obesity and the many health problems it causes. Series:
Episode 1: An Epidemic for Everybody
How did we get so fat, so fast? The debut episode of this 7-part series debunks the theory that obesity only affects the "gluttons and sloths" among us and is, in fact, a public health problem that impacts everyone.
Episode 2: Sickeningly Sweet
Dr. Robert Lustig illustrates the overabundance of sugar in today's processed convenience foods and explains how our bodies metabolize these sugars in the same way as alcohol or other toxins, causing damage to the liver and other organs.
Episode 3: Hunger and Hormones - A Vicious Cycle
Sugar impacts the brain just as much as the waistline. In this episode, Dr. Robert Lustig explains the biochemical shifts that sugar causes, making us store fat and feel hungry at the same time.
Episode 4: Sugar-sweet addiction
Sugar isn't just sweet, it's addictive. This episode explores the cycle of addiction that sugar causes in the brain, much in the same way as drugs and alcohol.
Episode 5: Generation XL
An unnerving trend of obese infants is just one indication that obesity can be passed on from mother to fetus. This installment looks towards the next generation, with an emphasis on preventive care and pre-natal health.
Episode 6: A Fast-Paced Fast Food Life
The pace of modern life is a key contributor to today's obesity epidemic. UCSF's Elissa Epel and Barbara Laraia explain the stress connection and offer practical and effective solutions that don't involve dieting and exercise.
Episode 7: Drugs Cigarettes Alcohol........ and Sugar?
UCSF experts offer a frank indictment of the country's agricultural policy and food industry, which have made it nearly impossible to avoid sugar in our daily diet, and suggestions for possible remedies
How's sugar effecting me and what's good to eat?
Fat Chance
Dr. Robert Lustig, UCSF Division of Pediatric Endocrinology, updates his very popular video "Sugar: The Bitter Truth." He argues that sugar and processed foods are driving the obesity epidemic, which in turn affects our endocrine system.
The Truth About Calories
Calories are a national obsession but are they really worth counting? Dr Chris van Tulleken takes nine randomly selected supermarket foods to an independent testing laboratory and discovers that only one of the labels matches the calories in the packet. The calorie count of all the other foods is up to 10% above or below the number on the label. Three Glasgow families take Chris's Big Calorie Challenge to find the best way to burn off calories. Surprisingly, they discover they're better off doing the housework than going to the gym. Chris's ultimate goal is to find out how we can cut our calories but keep eating our favourite treats. He discovers some kitchen secrets to strip 360 calories out of a luxury meal of steak, chips and cream pudding without changing a single ingredient. This programme shows how we can all be healthier by eating smarter - without taking the joy out of food.