# Obesity 2.0 Low Carb & Gary Taubes: Ask Him A Question **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [March 21, 2011, 1:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obesity-2-0-low-carb-gary-taubes-ask-him-a-question/575461 "2011-03-21T13:07:30Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Stoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/stoid/32/272_2.png) [@Stoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stoid)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2011, 1:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obesity-2-0-low-carb-gary-taubes-ask-him-a-question/575461/1 "2011-03-21T13:07:30Z")
This is a reboot from the humongous obesity thread. I got in touch with Gary Taubes, author of [Good Calories, Bad Calories](http://www.amazon.com/Good-Calories-Bad-Controversial-Science/dp/1400033462/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1300712517&sr=8-2) (2007) and [Why We Get Fat](http://www.amazon.com/Why-We-Get-Fat-Borzoi/dp/0307272702/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1300712517&sr=8-1) (2011). Both books present Taubes’ thesis regarding obesity, which can be nutshelled as: carbohydrates. But both books go into extensive research and information about how the body regulates fat, etc. I told Taubes about the thread and the direction it took, and he graciously agreed to make himself available to answer some questions. I promised not to pester him with questions that are easily answered by reading the books. The end of the other thread includes questions about his recent [Slate](http://www.slate.com/id/2288568/)article and the citation to a WHI nutrition study, so I’ve got that covered. I thought if anyone had anything else… (I’ve actually run into quite a few questions to ask in my own research. I promise to share his answers.) ---
**Author:** ![Muffin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/muffin/32/4341_2.png) [@Muffin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Muffin)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2011, 1:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obesity-2-0-low-carb-gary-taubes-ask-him-a-question/575461/2 "2011-03-21T13:35:24Z")
Gary, how does one distinguish between science and quackery when it comes to selecting a diet? ---
**Author:** ![CarnalK](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnalk/32/486_2.png) [@CarnalK](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CarnalK)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2011, 1:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obesity-2-0-low-carb-gary-taubes-ask-him-a-question/575461/3 "2011-03-21T13:59:02Z")
Mr Taubes, what is the duty of a scientific journalist with regard to preventing wrong assumptions when relating selected data from a study? ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Whisperer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cat_whisperer/32/4839_2.png) [@Cat\_Whisperer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Whisperer)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2011, 4:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obesity-2-0-low-carb-gary-taubes-ask-him-a-question/575461/4 "2011-03-21T16:20:44Z")
I don’t have any particular questions at this time, but I’ll be watching this thread with interest - my husband and I are in our mid-forties and struggling with eating right, exercising, and losing/maintaining healthy weight, and we often feel lost when we think we’re doing all the right things and seeing no results (or seeing negative results). I feel like we’re missing some crucial pieces of the puzzle. ---
**Author:** ![Amber\_in\_Treasury](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/bc79bd/32.png) [@Amber\_in\_Treasury](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Amber_in_Treasury)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2011, 4:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obesity-2-0-low-carb-gary-taubes-ask-him-a-question/575461/5 "2011-03-21T16:49:01Z")
Low-carb popcorn anyone? ---
**Author:** ![pseudotriton\_ruber\_ruber](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/a9a28c/32.png) [@pseudotriton\_ruber\_ruber](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pseudotriton_ruber_ruber)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2011, 4:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obesity-2-0-low-carb-gary-taubes-ask-him-a-question/575461/6 "2011-03-21T16:52:14Z")
Does this plate of spaghetti make my butt look big? ---
**Author:** ![twickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@twickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twickster)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2011, 5:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obesity-2-0-low-carb-gary-taubes-ask-him-a-question/575461/7 "2011-03-21T17:10:01Z")
If Mr. Taubes would like to join our community and participate directly, he would be most welcome to do so. Posting by proxy is against the rules, however, so I’m going to close this down. **twickster** , MPSIMS moderator