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Summary of Transcript:
The speaker, a geneticist from the University of Cambridge, discusses why calories don’t count. He explains that the number of calories in food does not equate to the number of calories the body can use, which is known as caloric availability. He gives examples, such as sweet corn being processed into a corn tortilla or cornbread, which makes a greater percentage of the calories available. Calories are measured using a bomb calorimeter, which involves burning a food sample in a sealed container. The speaker emphasizes the importance of understanding the food environment and our relationship with food. He also introduces his newly published book, “Why Calories Don’t Count.”
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Summary of Description:
Obesity researcher Giles Yeo challenges the notion that calorie counts on food packaging are accurate in his book “Why Calories Don’t Count.” In a video produced by The Royal Institution, Yeo explores how the environment influences a person’s body weight and researches why popular diets experience brief success but long-term failure. He is a geneticist with more than 20 years of experience studying the genetics of obesity and is a fellow and graduate tutor for Wolfson College. He is also a science presenter for the BBC and is based at the MRC Metabolic Diseases Unit.
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Why Calories Are Not Created Equal: An Exploration by Obesity Researcher Giles Yeo
Have you ever checked the calorie count on your snack and felt satisfied that it was in line with your dietary goals, only to find that you still feel hungry after eating it? If so, you’re not alone. Obesity researcher Giles Yeo has uncovered that all the calorie counts we see on food today are wrong and, more importantly, are not created equal.
Yeo’s research is the culmination of over 20 years of dedicated study of the genetics of obesity. In collaboration with fellow researchers at the MRC Metabolic Diseases Unit at the University of Cambridge, he has undertaken groundbreaking work uncovering how the brain controls food intake.
According to Yeo, calorie counts assume that all foods are equally metabolized. However, our bodies react differently to different types of food, meaning that calorie counts alone do not accurately represent the impact on our weight or hunger levels.
But why does this matter? Yeo argues that popular diets that rely on calorie counting are only effective in the short term because they create the illusion of controlling food intake. Instead of creating complicated, restrictive diets doomed to fail, Yeo recommends focusing on small, sustainable changes to eating habits tailored to an individual’s unique genetics and relationship with food.
To learn more about Yeo’s research and recommendations, check out his latest book, “Why Calories Don’t Count,” available now. Additionally, you can watch his Q&A on the subject via the YouTube video linked in the description.
Overall, Yeo’s research raises important questions about our relationship with food and the impact of our environment on our body weight. So next time you’re eyeing the calorie count on your snack, remember that it may not give you the full picture.
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Source Description
All of the calorie counts you see on food today is wrong. Obesity researcher Giles Yeo shows why calories are not created equal.
Giles’ newest book, “Why Calories Don’t Count,” is available now: https://geni.us/rjch7M.
Watch the Q&A: https://youtu.be/S5F0x1HZSBs
Giles Yeo explores what your environment has to do with your body weight, the science behind why popular diets succeed, at least in the short term, and why they ultimately fail.
Dr. Giles Yeo is a geneticist with over 20 years of experience dedicated to researching the genetics of obesity. He obtained his Ph.D. from the University of Cambridge and assisted the groundbreaking research that uncovered key pathways in how the brain controls food intake.
His current research focuses on understanding how these pathways differ from person to person and the influence of genetics on our relationship with food and eating habits.
He is based at MRC Metabolic Diseases Unit, where he is Principal Research Associate and is a fellow and graduate tutor at Wolfson College. Giles also moonlights as a science presenter for the BBC. He lives in Cambridge with his family.
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