Foreword for the Smarter Science of Slim by Jonathan Bailor

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FOREWORD FOR THE SMARTER SCIENCE OF SLIM BY JONATHAN BAILOR

By JoAnn E. Manson, M.D, M.PH., Dr.P.H Professor of Medicine and the Michael and Lee Bell Professor of Women’s Health Harvard Medical School Chief, Division of Preventive Medicine Brigham and Women’s Hospital

The dual epidemics of obesity and type 2 diabetes are the looming public health crises of the 21st century. All around us today, in all walks of life, are people who struggle with weight control. The growing prevalence of obesity in the United States and around the world, especially among children and adolescents, portends an enormous global burden of chronic disease in the future. The crystal ball shows not only more people with diabetes, but also enormous numbers of people with hypertension, heart disease, stroke, and even cancer.

Although medical research has made strides in treating and controlling some of the health consequences of obesity, the prevention and management of obesity truly hold the key to improved health. Of particular importance, we now know that people suffering from overweight or obesity can take charge of their health—if they are willing to make even modest changes in their lifestyle.

Throughout my career in preventive medicine and epidemiology, I have valued the importance of empowering the public through information and shared decision making. Together with my colleagues, our research has focused on prevention of cardiovascular disease and diabetes, including assessing the role of lifestyle factors in reducing risks. We have examined the “power of prevention” in several large-scale clinical studies, including the Harvard Nurses’ Health Study, the Women’s Health Initiative, the Women’s Health Study, the VITamin D and OmegA-3 TriaL (VITAL), and other research projects. One of the major findings from our large population-based studies is that type 2 diabetes and heart disease are largely preventable through lifestyle modifications, which are powerful determinants of our risk of chronic disease. For example, we’ve published papers from the Nurses’ Health Study indicating that at least 90% of cases of type 2 diabetes and at least 80% of heart attacks can be prevented by lifestyle changes, including being physically active, maintaining a healthy weight, and following a diet high in fruits, vegetables, and whole grains, and low in saturated and trans fats and refined carbohydrates.

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We’ve made efforts to inform the public of these findings, as well as of the work of other researchers around the world, often writing columns in magazines and working closely with print and electronic media over the years. Yet the scientific findings of so many researchers and other dedicated individuals in academia remain largely unknown by the general public. Part of the problem is the pervasive and overpowering impact of mass marketing by the food industry.

Another problem is the often confusing and contradictory messages about nutrition and health on the internet and various mass media outlets. Even the dietary guidelines from the federal government may seem confusing and at odds with some of the research studies that have attracted attention. How is the general public supposed to know which scientific studies to believe?

That’s why Jonathan Bailor has performed an invaluable service with his book, The Smarter Science of Slim. Jonathan has studied thousands and thousands of pages of academic research on health and weight-loss, and he has put the results into terms that the everyday person can understand. We have made great strides over the years in understanding how the body responds to different types of food. Yet all too often a popular author selectively cites the scientific evidence, emphasizing only those aspects of the wide-ranging research that support the diet plan he or she is promoting. Jonathan’s work is far from “just another diet book.”

The Smarter Science of Slim dismantles the myths that have contributed enormously to the health and weight problems that many people have, and replaces them with easy-to-understand facts that will change the way you think about eating and exercise. On the eating side, he shows why changes in a person’s metabolism affect weight gain, and how to get your metabolism burning rather than storing body fat. He provides a sensible formula for eating the right kinds of food that produce satiety – that fill you up so much that you won’t have room for the types of foods that are fueling the obesity and diabetes epidemics. He shows how balance is the key to long term health and weight loss.

He also clarifies what the scientific literature suggests are the best ways to exercise. Short bursts of vigorous and forceful activity can provide all of the stimulation needed to get your metabolism back on track. But moderate exercise also has a role.

The scientific community now knows a great deal about how the human body works. In culling the literature and gathering the results of so many clinical studies, Jonathan Bailor presents a weight-loss program that is based on rigorous science. We can make the right choices that will help us to avoid becoming overweight or obese. As a treasure trove of reliable information and sound facts, The Smarter Science of Slim can help you take charge of your destiny and turn the tide on weight gain.

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