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Ozempic is changing the foods Americans buy

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Re: Ozempic is changing the foods Americans buy

#661
The best news was this:

> Ultra-processed, calorie-dense foods – the kinds most closely associated with cravings – saw the sharpest declines. Spending on savory snacks dropped by about 10%, with similarly large decreases in sweets, baked goods and cookies.

Re: Ozempic is changing the foods Americans buy

#662

Earlier quoted context omitted.

For good reason. That'd be a BMI of 47. There isn't a lot of statistical data for such high BMIs, but [1] lists prevalence of BMI>40. In Germany 1.2% of men and 2.8% of women had a BMI over 40 in 2011, in the US it was 5.6% and 9.7% respectively in 2016. That's nearly four times as many as in Germany. 1: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC7078951/

> In Germany 1.2% of men and 2.8% of women had a BMI over 40 in 2011 How does that compare to, say, Japan? Why is Germany so much fatter?

Worse food and less fat shaming.

Re: Ozempic is changing the foods Americans buy

#663
post #631

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> as it only causes a reduction in 10%-20% of body weight This was simply when the studies ended. Weight loss for most definitely tails off, but doesn't completely stop if you continue longer than the 18mo SURMOUNT-4[0] study went for with Tirzepatide. I also do not know if this was patients going on maintenance dosing, staying the same, or ramping up doses to the full 15mg max dose. Would need to re-read it as it's…

I know I will be downvoted into oblivion for this but here goes: Im sorry to be crass but if someone makes lifestyle changes after taking drugs its 100% the drugs. Kind of tired of people taking anabolic steroids and then claiming it's a smaller part of their success or people being born rich talking about hard work whilst being on the golf course. Just be happy that we live in a time where drugs have been painstakin…

> if someone makes lifestyle changes after taking drugs its 100% the drugs

Multi-variate causation doesn't losslessly or deterministically reduce to a single dimension. Particularly when the causes aren't independent.

The drugs facilitate behaviour change. Changed behaviour helps the drugs work. Both done together are stronger than independently, and the strength of that interaction (and the overall effect) is mediated by other inputs.

Re: Ozempic is changing the foods Americans buy

#664

That is pretty astonishing given 10% of Americans use semaglutide / tirzepitide. > Spending on savory snacks dropped by about 10%, with similarly large decreases in sweets, baked goods and cookies. Even staples like bread, meat and eggs declined. I can't read the paper (paywall), but that means something like the 10% of Americans who are on it must switch to purchasing almost no junk food.

I personally do not use it, but know someone who does. She says it is more like a appetite suppressant. You just do not feel that hungry. Her doctor also said 'if you eat like crap this stuff will punish you'. Basically you will have some stomach cramps. Now are you saving money? Not particularly. The food which is better for you is also a decent amount more expensive. On top of the 1k per month the meds cost. Now ma…

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Re: Ozempic is changing the foods Americans buy

#665

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I find this humorous but I’m also genuinely curious what the analogy is between fiber and GLPs?

Fiber is essentially mass with little to no nutrition in it. So it makes you feel fuller without adding calories, like GLP-1 drugs. I do think there's a strong argument that lack of fiber and protein are huge contributors to the world's obesity problems.

"So it makes you feel fuller without adding calories, like GLP-1 drugs"

Nobody really knows how GLP-1 agonists work, but given the other effects (e.g. insulin stability, change in other addictive behaviours etc.) it's definitely not just this.

Re: Ozempic is changing the foods Americans buy

#666

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Modern apples have been bred to be larger and a lot sweeter than "natural" apples which are smaller and more sour. Not saying they are equivalent to a processed snack cake but they aren't especially healthy either.

That’s what I’m noticing about apples more and more these days: all of them are incredibly sweet like candy. The only variety I’ve found that seems suitable for regular eating ate the Granny Smith variety, but I hate their tough skins.

If you haven't tried Hidden Rose apples, give them a try. Besides being gorgeous, they have a tart:sweet ratio that's similar to Granny Smith, but with a texture that's further away from a baking apple and a thinner skin. Absolutely my favorite lately.

Re: Ozempic is changing the foods Americans buy

#667

Earlier quoted context omitted.

There are plenty of shortcuts. I've fixed my sleeping schedule by taking lorazepam and melatonin every night. I've gotten over many illnesses faster than healing naturally by taking many a pill. Why shouldn't there be medicine for issues with weight, especially for people who haven't been able to beat it themselves in decades? I've been fat most of my life and managed to lose a significant chunk of it by myself and r…

You lose .5-1 lb of fat every day you water fast; you will naturally increase stem cells, peptides, growth hormone, etc. You can do this for months if needed. You will reset your immune system, insulin response, eat off cancerous cells, etc. The bigger opportunity is to figure out why all of these things are going on, typically unprocessed emotional trauma, environment, and choices.

I ain't doing a water fast. And most people will not. Again, your argument is essentially "just use your will power". Clearly, people don't have that level of will power.

Re: Ozempic is changing the foods Americans buy

#668

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> I can buy pre-chopped Cole slaw, diced peppers / onions, etc. These accessible food options come with a premium that I strongly suspect put them out of what a median income household can sustainably afford.

The pre-chopped coleslaw mix is like 3 bucks for a huge bag. 1 pound of pre-sliced frozen peppers I think is $2. Some of it depends on where you’re shopping, I’m sure this stuff would be 50-100% more at Whole Foods the next town over.

>The pre-chopped coleslaw mix is like 3 bucks for a huge bag

$2 at Aldi, and I'd happily pay double. Sure beats having to break down (and use) a whole head of cabbage, which are huge.

Re: Ozempic is changing the foods Americans buy

#669
post #631

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> as it only causes a reduction in 10%-20% of body weight This was simply when the studies ended. Weight loss for most definitely tails off, but doesn't completely stop if you continue longer than the 18mo SURMOUNT-4[0] study went for with Tirzepatide. I also do not know if this was patients going on maintenance dosing, staying the same, or ramping up doses to the full 15mg max dose. Would need to re-read it as it's…

I know I will be downvoted into oblivion for this but here goes: Im sorry to be crass but if someone makes lifestyle changes after taking drugs its 100% the drugs. Kind of tired of people taking anabolic steroids and then claiming it's a smaller part of their success or people being born rich talking about hard work whilst being on the golf course. Just be happy that we live in a time where drugs have been painstakin…

I think it depends on what you mean by "100% the drugs".

I don't think anyone is arguing that the outcome would 100% not happen if it weren't for the drugs, but I think it is useful to note that part of the benefit comes from the habits the drugs help you form rather than simply 100% the appetite reduction the drug produces.

Re: Ozempic is changing the foods Americans buy

#670

Earlier quoted context omitted.

How can eating at a restaurant be cheaper than at home? Could you give examples?

Sure, any kind of non-veg protein adds up quickly, especially if you're doing 3 meals a day. Most local Indian places will do you a solid 1500 calorie meal for £10 if you know what to look for. Versus, go to supermarket... get stuck in a routine every day of "buying stuff", wanting snacks, meat, and so on adds up quickly to the point where sticking below £10 a day becomes a constant battle. It's the routine and const…

I don't understand the point. Supermarket food is cheaper than restaurant food, virtually without exception.

But the 'routine of supermarket shopping' creates 'noise' that makes you want to eat more / more often? How does that work.

I tend to go to the supermarket once a week and make this buying decision on a full stomach. I've not bought snacks or soda during this type of shopping since I was a teenager, I simply refuse to buy these things, like cigarettes or alcohol. There is no decision fatigue, the decision was made once and stuck to.

The discipline required is about 30 minutes a week. The rest of the time I'm not at the supermarket, and travelling to the supermarket to buy a snack just isn't worth the trouble. This way sticking to the decision becomes easy: I only shop once a week.

Then I have to cook the food (I only buy ingredients). I'm not a big fan of cooking, so I wouldn't go out of my way to cook more often than I need or want, and overspend in this way.

This seems like a lot less noise or fatigue than going out for food 3 times a day and being presented with ready-made menu's of tens or even more than a hundred food options per day, and making a healthy and budget-friendly decision 21 times a week, on an empty stomach -- there's no way I could ever spend less at restaurants than cooking.

I get eating out, I've been doing it solely for the last months due to travel and I love it. But I'm absolutely not spending less or eating more healthy.

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