The obesity code

What Hacker News says

1. abirchAug 2026
   Jason Fung has preached against modern processed foods that destroy insulin sensitivity. Even artificial sweeteners can raise Insulin levels. His book "The Obesity Code" is a must read and discusses some of the pathways that link insulin and leptin (a hormone associated with eating)

   TLDR; I'm a Fungster: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCoyL4iGArWn5Hu0V_sAhK2w

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2. jvanderbotJun 2025
   There's entire books about this, and how insulin resistance / insulin "overdoses" are implicated in most metabolic disorders and obesity (above and beyond CI/CO energetics) and how Alzheimers is kind of just type 3 diabetes.

   Try Outlive (very good) and Obesity Code (not bad so far - I'm 3 chapters in).

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3. jvanderbotJun 2025
   I'm about to say something that is easy to dismiss as bullshit, so feel free to, but you're right, people were healthier in terms of weight in the 60s, and right around that is when we changed dietary guidance to be carb-focused, low fat, etc. Since then, obesity has skyrocketed. The book Obesity Code covers this.

   As sibling comments have pointed out, 3800 is availability, not consumption, so it's not an indicator of how much people do eat, just how much they could eat.

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4. kelavasterSep 2024
   And check out The Obesity Code by the same author
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5. KalanosJul 2024
   Why is the advice "Try to maintain a healthy weight?" Just maintain it. Sure, some people are genetically predisposed to obesity, but we should stop coddling the rest. Obesity puts you at 300% risk for cancer and several other lethal diseases. A great place to start is by not spending money on drinks that contain sugar and carbs - drink water. The recipe for healthy weight is 85% diet (less carbs) and 15% exercise (elevated heart rate).

   Check out the books: Cancer Code, Obesity Code, Diabetes Code

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6. david-gpuFeb 2024
   "Why we get sick" by Benjamin Bikman. It talks about the causes and effects of insulin resistance, including how to diagnose it.

   "The obesity code" by Jason Fung. It talks about the causes of obesity (spoiler: hyperinsulinemia) and provides practical advice on how how reducing carbohydrates and intermittent fasting can help.

   "The case for keto" by Gary Taubes. Is an enjoyable read that not only covers the extensive evidence of how excess insulin leads to gaining body fat, but also how we ended up culturally terrified of dietary fat and dietary cholesterol.

   If you have already managed to become lean through a low-carbohydrate diet and/or intermittent fasting, then I do recommend following the peer-reviewed research published by Nicholas Norwitz (he also has a YouTube channel for laypeople).

   Ultimately, what leads me to this eating pattern is my own difficulty managing my body weight when I don't. If I could stay lean, healthy and satiated with a mixed diet that included some rice, bread, potatoes and pasta, I would go for it.

   Many people do just fine with some carbohydrates in their diet. I used to as well, when I was younger. These days, I can either take significant steps to reduce my insulin levels or I slowly creep towards obesity and metabolic syndrome.

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