{"id":18548,"date":"2024-12-18T09:02:55","date_gmt":"2024-12-18T10:02:55","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/medexperts.pro\/?p=18548"},"modified":"2024-12-18T10:26:45","modified_gmt":"2024-12-18T10:26:45","slug":"a-rift-in-trump-world-over-how-to-make-america-healthier","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/medexperts.pro\/?p=18548","title":{"rendered":"A Rift in Trump World Over How to Make America Healthier"},"content":{"rendered":"<div><\/div>\n<p id=\"article-summary\" class=\"css-79rysd e1wiw3jv0\">Statements by Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and Elon Musk tap into a dispute over whether lifestyle changes or drugs are a better way to treat obesity.<\/p>\n<section class=\"meteredContent css-1r7ky0e\">\n<div class=\"css-s99gbd StoryBodyCompanionColumn\" data-testid=\"companionColumn-0\">\n<div class=\"css-53u6y8\">\n<p class=\"css-at9mc1 evys1bk0\">For Robert F. Kennedy Jr., the activist whom President-elect Donald J. Trump will nominate to serve as the secretary of health and human services, the solution to obesity in America \u2014 now at <a class=\"css-yywogo\" href=\"https:\/\/www.cdc.gov\/nchs\/products\/databriefs\/db508.htm\" title rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\">40 percent<\/a> of adults \u2014 is straightforward: \u201cThe first line of response should be lifestyle,\u201d he <a class=\"css-yywogo\" href=\"https:\/\/www.cnbc.com\/2024\/12\/12\/rfk-jr-tells-jim-cramer-weight-loss-drugs-shouldnt-replace-healthy-eating-not-against-all-vaccine.html\" title rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\">told Jim Cramer<\/a> in a Dec. 12 interview on CNBC.<\/p>\n<p class=\"css-at9mc1 evys1bk0\">Elon Musk, the technology billionaire who advises the president-elect, sees things differently: \u201cNothing would do more to improve the health, lifespan and quality of life for Americans than making GLP inhibitors super low cost to the public,\u201d <a class=\"css-yywogo\" href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/elonmusk\/status\/1866766638953140733\" title rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\">he wrote on X<\/a>, referring to the new class of drugs that cause weight loss, including Ozempic. \u201cNothing else is even close.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"css-at9mc1 evys1bk0\">And there, with the contrasting views of two men in Mr. Trump\u2019s ear, lie two sides of an issue that is plaguing health and nutrition researchers. Is it even possible to change lifestyles and the food environment enough to solve America\u2019s obesity problem? And, if not, do we really want to solve it by putting millions of people on powerful drugs? What is the right balance between the two approaches?<\/p>\n<p class=\"css-at9mc1 evys1bk0\">Many people find that eating well is easier said than done. Food companies have saturated the United States and other nations with seductively cheap and tasty things to eat, available seemingly everywhere and around the clock. Obesity researchers suspect that the current food environment has allowed many Americans to be as overweight as they possibly can be.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div data-testid=\"Dropzone-1\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"css-s99gbd StoryBodyCompanionColumn\" data-testid=\"companionColumn-1\">\n<div class=\"css-53u6y8\">\n<p class=\"css-at9mc1 evys1bk0\">But for the first time, there is an effective countervailing force \u2014 powerful new obesity drugs like Wegovy and Zepbound that allow people to ignore the siren call of high-calorie foods and large portion sizes.<\/p>\n<p class=\"css-at9mc1 evys1bk0\">Those with views like Mr. Kennedy\u2019s believe it is wrong to use pharmaceuticals to manage obesity and related issues that are tied to unhealthy lifestyle and to a ruinous food environment. The makers of obesity drugs, Mr. Kennedy <a class=\"css-yywogo\" href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=qX9nQ40mSMY\" title rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\">told Greg Gutfeld<\/a> on Fox News before the election, are \u201ccounting on selling it to Americans because we\u2019re so stupid and so addicted to drugs.\u201d<\/p>\n<div class=\"css-1336jj\">\n<div class=\"css-121kum4\">\n<div class=\"css-171d1bw\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"css-asuuk5\">\n<div class=\"css-7axq9l\" data-testid=\"optimistic-truncator-noscript\">\n<div data-testid=\"optimistic-truncator-noscript-message\" class=\"css-6yo1no\">\n<p class=\"css-3kpklk\">We are having trouble retrieving the article content.<\/p>\n<p class=\"css-3kpklk\">Please enable JavaScript in your browser settings.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"css-1dv1kvn\" id=\"optimistic-truncator-a11y\">\n<hr \/>\n<p>Thank you for your patience while we verify access. If you are in Reader mode please exit and\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/myaccount.nytimes.com\/auth\/login?response_type=cookie&amp;client_id=vi&amp;redirect_uri=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nytimes.com%2F2024%2F12%2F18%2Fhealth%2Fozempic-food-rfk-elon-musk.html&amp;asset=opttrunc\">log into<\/a>\u00a0your Times account, or\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/subscription?campaignId=89WYR&amp;redirect_uri=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nytimes.com%2F2024%2F12%2F18%2Fhealth%2Fozempic-food-rfk-elon-musk.html\">subscribe<\/a>\u00a0for all of The Times.<\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"css-1g71tqy\">\n<div data-testid=\"optimistic-truncator-message\" class=\"css-6yo1no\">\n<p class=\"css-3kpklk\">Thank you for your patience while we verify access.<\/p>\n<p class=\"css-3kpklk\">Already a subscriber?\u00a0<a data-testid=\"log-in-link\" class=\"css-z5ryv4\" href=\"https:\/\/myaccount.nytimes.com\/auth\/login?response_type=cookie&amp;client_id=vi&amp;redirect_uri=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nytimes.com%2F2024%2F12%2F18%2Fhealth%2Fozempic-food-rfk-elon-musk.html&amp;asset=opttrunc\">Log in<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p class=\"css-3kpklk\">Want all of The Times?\u00a0<a data-testid=\"subscribe-link\" class=\"css-z5ryv4\" href=\"https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/subscription?campaignId=89WYR&amp;redirect_uri=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nytimes.com%2F2024%2F12%2F18%2Fhealth%2Fozempic-food-rfk-elon-musk.html\">Subscribe<\/a>.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/section>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Statements by Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and Elon Musk tap into a dispute over whether lifestyle changes or drugs are a better way to treat obesity.For Robert F. Kennedy Jr., the activist whom President-elect Donald J. Trump will nominate to serve as the secretary of health and human services, the solution to obesity in America \u2014 now at 40 percent of adults \u2014 is straightforward: \u201cThe first line of response should be lifestyle,\u201d he told Jim Cramer in a Dec. 12 interview on CNBC.Elon Musk, the technology billionaire who advises the president-elect, sees things differently: \u201cNothing would do more to improve the health, lifespan and quality of life for Americans than making GLP inhibitors super low cost to the public,\u201d he wrote on X, referring to the new class of drugs that cause weight loss, including Ozempic. \u201cNothing else is even close.\u201dAnd there, with the contrasting views of two men in Mr. Trump\u2019s ear, lie two sides of an issue that is plaguing health and nutrition researchers. Is it even possible to change lifestyles and the food environment enough to solve America\u2019s obesity problem? And, if not, do we really want to solve it by putting millions of people on powerful drugs? What is the right balance between the two approaches?Many people find that eating well is easier said than done. Food companies have saturated the United States and other nations with seductively cheap and tasty things to eat, available seemingly everywhere and around the clock. Obesity researchers suspect that the current food environment has allowed many Americans to be as overweight as they possibly can be.But for the first time, there is an effective countervailing force \u2014 powerful new obesity drugs like Wegovy and Zepbound that allow people to ignore the siren call of high-calorie foods and large portion sizes.Those with views like Mr. Kennedy\u2019s believe it is wrong to use pharmaceuticals to manage obesity and related issues that are tied to unhealthy lifestyle and to a ruinous food environment. The makers of obesity drugs, Mr. Kennedy told Greg Gutfeld on Fox News before the election, are \u201ccounting on selling it to Americans because we\u2019re so stupid and so addicted to drugs.\u201dWe are having trouble retrieving the article content.Please enable JavaScript in your browser settings.Thank you for your patience while we verify access. If you are in Reader mode please exit and\u00a0log into\u00a0your Times account, or\u00a0subscribe\u00a0for all of The Times.Thank you for your patience while we verify access.Already a subscriber?\u00a0Log in.Want all of The Times?\u00a0Subscribe.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":2528,"comment_status":"close","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-18548","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-lifestyle"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/medexperts.pro\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/18548","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/medexperts.pro\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/medexperts.pro\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/medexperts.pro\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/medexperts.pro\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=18548"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/medexperts.pro\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/18548\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":18550,"href":"https:\/\/medexperts.pro\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/18548\/revisions\/18550"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/medexperts.pro\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/2528"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/medexperts.pro\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=18548"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/medexperts.pro\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=18548"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/medexperts.pro\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=18548"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}