logoalt Hacker News

0xcde4c3db10/11/20244 repliesview on HN

I think we desperately need to answer the question of why GLP-1 agonists are so effective, and particularly whether it's counteracting something in the environment that has been acting to reduce GLP-1 (or other glucagon-related pathway) activity without us realizing it. The obesity data practically screams that something happened in North America ca. 1980 that messed up our metabolisms, and it may have spread to Europe after a delay. Unfortunately, it seems like one of those things where there are various people with pet theories and little substantial effort to get to the ground truth. Perhaps the inevitable search for "me-too drugs" will uncover something.


Replies

rootusrootus10/11/2024

Europe has been climbing at a steady rate since at least 1975.

https://www.europeandatajournalism.eu/cp_data_news/europe-fa...

asciimov10/11/2024

Coke and Pepsi started using HFCS in 1980.

I’d be curious about side effects of the Depression and WW2 that took an extra generation to show up.

show 1 reply
codersfocus10/11/2024

Glyphosate was introduced around that timeline.

avelis10/11/2024

One aspect is that the US food system as a crap ton of UPF.

show 2 replies