Thursday, April 02, 2009

Disappointment but not surprise

There's a fairly new online food journal: http://food.theatlantic.com/ that I've been trying to like. I also subscribe to the Atlantic magazine -- free, for expiring airline miles -- is there any other excuse to kill trees?

Once in a while, I find an article in the magazine that really interests me, or that makes a big splash and becomes a "must read." Mostly, ho-hum. Same with the online food journal. Example: food safety and health advocate Marion Nestle has a little few-word column there but on issues that are getting a lot of play and more detail elsewhere. I just can't find anything really compelling there -- and I wish I could.

One thing that makes me uncomfortable: they are presenting the journal of a man who had stomach-altering surgery so he could get thin. It's so sad, since the record of this type of surgery is terrible. Many victims lose weight for a while, and then regain it, but come out in poorer health. The death rate from the surgery is also said to be unacceptably high, at least from other sources I've read. So it's sad that these food journalists are promoting this dangerous procedure -- after all, once the man has had it, he's going to be a proponent since he has to make the most of his own life. I think a less personal and more investigative approach to this issue would be of greater value.

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