Brillyant comments on Critiquing Gary Taubes, Part 2: Atkins Redux - Less Wrong

6 Post author: ChrisHallquist 30 December 2013 12:58AM

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Comment author: Brillyant 27 December 2013 01:08:05AM 0 points [-]

obesity has a significant genetic component

I would agree this is true. From my recall and simple research, something like ~17% of individual metabolism is dependent on factors that are suspected to be genetic, and this, as a result of simple arithmetic, can lead to obesity fairly easily. (e.g. we eat and exercise identically and end up at very, very different weights).

I still don't understand what the mechanism by which -- apart from simple caloric arithmetic -- Atkins works? Are you saying it is a result of its effect on insulin in the body?

Since, like you, I don't suspect (though we may be wrong) insulin-caused obesity is a significant % of the western world, it still is my view that the Atkins diet is primarily nothing more than an "eat less" diet disguised as pseudoscience.

Comment author: hyporational 27 December 2013 03:56:57AM 0 points [-]

The genetic component could also affect hunger and eating behavior.

Comment author: Brillyant 27 December 2013 04:55:24AM 0 points [-]

It seems to me reasonable (and likely) that it does. Of course we have individual differences in appetite and metabolism.

The crux is what Atkins, or any diet, does besides improve caloric arithmetic. I'd say it does primarily nothing in the majority of people. I'd love to hear a suitable counterproposal.