The obesity code
by Jason Fung · first published 2016
76% recommend17% neutral7% critical
Why HN recommends it
Accessible, research-backed case that obesity is driven by insulin and hormonal imbalance rather than calories alone, with fasting as the fix; suits people struggling to lose weight or curious about insulin resistance.
Common criticism: Some say its science is shaky and mixes solid points with overstated claims
Summarised by Claude from recommending comments
"In this highly readable and provocative book, Dr. Jason Fung sets out an original, robust theory of obesity that provides startling insights into proper nutrition"--Page [4] of cover.
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I recently read The Obesity Code by Dr. Jason Fung and in it he states that bariatric surgery is little more than surgically enforced fasting. Most people can fast without doing the surgery. I highly recommend the book. It's more like…
on “Why Are We Still So Fat?” ↗…medics backing it up, but there's also a lot of denial about it. One good book describing what the deal is with insulin resistance, why it makes us fat and why the keto diet is healthy would be the "The Obesity Code: Unlocking the Secrets of Weight Loss" by Dr. Jason Fung. Here's the podcast dedicated to it, talking of keto and fasting; it's a great podcast: http://obesitycodepodcast.com
on “When We Eat, or Don’t Eat, May Be Critical for Health” ↗…pounds. Apparently the diet that has made me thinner and increased my energy and mental clarity is the "dangerous" one, and the diet that has made everyone obese is "healthy" and "balanced". [1] The Obesity Code by Dr. Jason Fung
on “Is Sugar Killing Us?” ↗Respectfully you are coming from a certain frame. There is always the possibility that other frames exist that may be a more accurate representation of reality. If you are open, check out The Obesity Code by Dr. Jason Fung.
on “Effects of short-term fasting on cancer treatment” ↗…that the BBC article gets all its information from only one “expert”, who doesn’t seem expert at all. So shallow. For me, the best source of solid evidence-based information about IF was Jason Fung’s Obesity Code.
on “The benefits of intermittent fasting the right way” ↗u can cure type 2 if u have it quite easy. i recomend books by jason fung, diabetes code and obesity code.
on “The cost of diabetes” ↗As the article notes, eating less than you burn is effective for a while until the body works to get back up to a previous set point to maintain homeostasis. An excellent book on this topic is The Obesity Code by Dr Jason Fung
on “As obesity keeps rising, more Americans are just giving up” ↗Read The Obesity Code by Jason Fung. A real doctor using real medical studies but with a different view to explain in common language why diets fail and why old practices work.
on “Mice fed a time-restricted, high-fat diet show reduced metabolic disease (2012)” ↗…Sucrose breaks down into glucose (which can be metabolized by many cells) and fructose (which is only metabolized by the liver). They're both bad when over consumed. This laid out pretty well in The Obesity Code by Jason Fung (a real doctor).
on “Sugar-sweetened drinks with protein rich meal affect metabolism” ↗1: 12 Rules for life, Jordan Peterson Ignore the controversy, this book will change your life for the better. Get the audio version Peterson narrates and it adds an extra dimension. 2: The Obesity Code, Dr Fung Probably the most eloquent and effective breakdown of how and why obesity comes to be and what to do about it. As a bonus, it’s really funny! 3:Not Alone, Craig Falconer I picked this up on…
on “Ask HN: 2018 Summer Reading List?” ↗ALL DIETS WORK IN THE SHORT TERM... The problem is keeping it off. Please, please, please read the Obesity Code by Dr. Jason Fung: https://www.amazon.com/Obesity-Code-Unlocking-Secrets-Weight... He provides all the science behind the current obesity epidemic, backed up with studies done on humans. Obesity is…
on “What I learned from reading over 100 weight loss studies” ↗For a diabetes/obesity focus on this point, read anything by Jason Fung. For instance, "The obesity code" is thoroughly researched and persuasive. As a diabetes researcher myself, it makes sense. While I do not investigate type 2, I understand that having a decent stretch of time where the body's insulin…
on “The Fasting Cure Is No Fad” ↗…recommended sticking to water, coffee, tea, and sometimes bone broth for longer fasts to supplement a little protein and electrolytes. For more information, Dr. Jason Fung wrote two books on this: "The Obesity Code" and "The Diabetes Code". Both are VERY much worth reading. https://www.amazon.com/Dr-Jason-Fung/e/B01BT8K6FK?ref=sr_ntt...
on “Intermittent Fasting (Alternate Day Fasting) in Healthy, Non-Obese Adults” ↗…(research, blog posts, books) covering how IF impacts insulin and insulin sensitivity, and how that downstream leads to obesity [and how IF helps reverse obesity]. I highly recommend his books such as The Obesity Code. https://www.dietdoctor.com/my-single-best-weight-loss-tip
on “Starving to Health: Fasting-Mimicking Diet” ↗Read The Obesity Code: Unlocking the Secrets of Weight Loss by Dr. Jason Fung to understand how hormones affect body weight. https://amzn.com/1771641258
on “I tried out-training my diet for 18 months” ↗