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Jason Fung

Jason Fung

The Obesity Epidemic, Explained

Sep 18, 2026 · 53 min · 10 segments

Dr. Jason Fung explains how the 1977 dietary guidelines led to the obesity epidemic. The Dietary Guidelines for Americans changed the way Americans ate, advising us to eat more carbs and less fat to…

Dr. Jason Fung explains how the 1977 dietary guidelines led to the obesity epidemic. The Dietary Guidelines for Americans changed the way Americans ate, advising us to eat more carbs and less fat to prevent heart disease, but this lead to weight gain. When we gained weight, we were then told it was our own fault. Check out my blog at https://medium.com/@drjasonfungMore Information:BOOKS:The Obesity Code - Reviewing underlying physiology of weight loss and how low carb diets and fasting can help. https://www.amazon.com/dp/1771641258?ref=exp_jasonfung_dp_vv_dThe Diabetes Code - Reviewing how type 2 diabetes is a reversible disease and dietary strategies. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0795BLS8D?ref=exp_jasonfung_dp_vv_dThe Cancer Code - Scientific exploration of how cancer develops - https://www.amazon.com/dp/0062894005?ref=exp_jasonfung_dp_vv_dAmazon:USA - https://www.amazon.com/shop/jasonfungCanada - https://www.amazon.ca/shop/jasonfung**Fasting Aids**Pique Fasting Tea (recommended)https://www.piquetea.com/drjasonfungFasting Community and Coaching:https://www.thefastingmethod.com/YouTube Medical Lectures (for specialist physicians):1. The Roots of the Obesity Epidemic - https://youtu.be/q8BGYhreaco2. Therapeutic Fasting - The Two Compartment Problem: https://youtu.be/ETkwZIi3R7w3. Does Calorie Counting work? https://youtu.be/5F5o0a4p_3U4. Two Big Lies of Type 2 Diabetes - https://youtu.be/FcLoaVNQ3rc5. Reversing Type 2 Diabetes Naturally - https://youtu.be/mAwgdX5VxGc6. Insulin Toxicity - https://youtu.be/4oZ4UqtbB_g7. Saturated Fat - Friend or Foe? https://youtu.be/QetsIU-3k7Y8. Diet and Disease - https://youtu.be/2yoOx_7MLn09. Dangers of Fructose - https://youtu.be/pG89j432w-Y10. Insulin Resistance - https://youtu.be/dimP7IdM2Og11. Role of Hormones in Weight Loss - https://youtu.be/ZbnshVO4PRM12. The Obesity Code Lecture 1 - https://youtu.be/YpllomiDMX0Join this channel to get access to perks:https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCoyL4iGArWn5Hu0V_sAhK2w/join#jasonfung #drjasonfung #fasting #fastingbenefits #weightlosstips #intermittentfasting #drfung #fung #calories #weightlosstips #caloriesincaloriesout #weightloss #nutrition #diet #healthTimestamps0:00 History of obesity medicine4:11 The Low Fat Era of Weight Loss10:23 Problems with with Low Fat Diet16:41 Saturated Fat21:00 The Paradox of eating Low Fat25:43 The shocking origins of Vegetable Oil32:35 The Food Pyramid35:23 The Obesity Epidemic37:00 Calorie Counting is not physiologic48:00 Obesity is a hormonal imbalance, not a caloric one Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Dr. Jason Fung explains how the 1977 dietary guidelines led to the obesity epidemic. The Dietary Guidelines for Americans changed the way Americans ate, advising us to eat more carbs and less fat to…

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Speakers: Jason FungHost

Top entities: Fat×3 GLP-1 receptor agonist×10 William Osler×3 Low-fat diet Framingham×3

Show signals: SuitabilitySafeBiasNot politicalAudience≈1.4M followers

The Roots of the Obesity Epidemic0:05 – 0:51

0:05

I'm going to get started.

0:07

So today what we're going to talk about is really the roots of the obesity epidemic and how we sort of got here because everybody knows that obesity has not always been a problem.

0:18

If you look back in the 50s and 60s, there's not a really big problem in obesity.

0:23

But then you get to sort of the 80s and 90s.

0:26

You have this huge rise in obesity, which sort of fuels all this metabolic disease, which is type 2 diabetes, the metabolic syndrome, which then fuels heart disease, stroke, and cancer, which then kills people.

0:39

So really, if you want to look at our health care system right now, you really have to get to the roots of how we got here.

0:47

to this obesity crisis to see where we can change things.

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FatEntity
99%3 mentions
GLP-1 receptor agonistEntityMedication
97%10 mentions
William OslerPersonCanadian physician
94%3 mentions
Low-fat dietDiet
92%1 mention
FraminghamCityCity in Massachusetts
90%3 mentions
Trans fatEntity
87%1 mention
C-reactive proteinEntity
85%2 mentions
Ancel KeysPersonAmerican physiologist
83%3 mentions
CriscoBrand
80%4 mentions
United StatesCountryCountry in North America
78%4 mentions
Women's Health InitiativeEventIncident
76%4 mentions
William BantingPersonUndertaker
73%3 mentions
Mediterranean cuisineEntityCuisine
71%3 mentions
Dwight D. EisenhowerPerson34th U.S. President
69%2 mentions
Phosphoinositide 3-kinaseEntityProtein
66%3 mentions
Harvard UniversityCollege or UniversityPrivate university in Cambridge, Massachusetts
64%1 mention
FructoseEntitySugar substitute
62%1 mention
TimePeriodicalMagazine
59%2 mentions
Adventist Health StudiesEntity
57%1 mention
CanadaCountryCountry in North America
55%4 mentions
GLUT4EntityProtein
52%1 mention
SwedenCountryCountry in Europe
50%2 mentions
The Principles and Practice of MedicineBookTextbook by William Osler
48%1 mention
Food and Drug AdministrationGovernment OrganizationFederal agency
45%1 mention
World War IIEventWar
43%1 mention
Benjamin SpockPersonAmerican pediatrician
41%1 mention
British Journal of NutritionPeriodicalPeer-reviewed journal
38%1 mention
GodEntitySupreme being
36%1 mention
North AmericaContinentContinent
34%1 mention
ItalyCountryCountry in Europe
31%1 mention
The BMJPeriodicalPeer-reviewed journal
29%2 mentions
UnileverCompanyPersonal care product company
27%1 mention
The LancetPeriodicalPeer-reviewed journal
24%1 mention
American Heart AssociationCompanyNonprofit organization
22%2 mentions
MalmöCityCity in Sweden
20%1 mention
JAMA Internal MedicinePeriodicalPeer-reviewed journal
17%1 mention
Jason FungPersonNephrologist
15%1 mention
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13%1 mention
FranceCountryCountry in Europe
10%1 mention
Chinese cuisineEntityCuisine
8%2 mentions
National Health and Nutrition Examination SurveyEntity
6%1 mention
Mitogen-activated protein kinaseEntity
3%1 mention
DenmarkCountryCountry in Europe
1%1 mention

Historical PerspectivesHealth > Nutrition > Dietary Guidelines
CarbohydratesHealth > Nutrition > Dietary Guidelines > Obesity
EpidemiologyHealth > Nutrition > Dietary Guidelines > Public Health
InsulinHealth > Nutrition > Dietary Guidelines > Hormonal Regulation
William BantingHealth > Nutrition > Dietary Guidelines > Historical Perspectives
Dietary GuidelinesHealth > Nutrition
Public HealthHealth > Nutrition > Dietary Guidelines
ObesityHealth > Nutrition > Dietary Guidelines
FatsHealth > Nutrition > Dietary Guidelines
Saturated FatHealth > Nutrition > Dietary Guidelines > Fats
NutritionHealth
Hormonal RegulationHealth > Nutrition > Dietary Guidelines
Health

The Roots of the Obesity Epidemic0:05 – 0:51

0:05

I'm going to get started.

0:07

So today what we're going to talk about is really the roots of the obesity epidemic and how we sort of got here because everybody knows that obesity has not always been a problem.

0:18

If you look back in the 50s and 60s, there's not a really big problem in obesity.

0:23

But then you get to sort of the 80s and 90s.

0:26

You have this huge rise in obesity, which sort of fuels all this metabolic disease, which is type 2 diabetes, the metabolic syndrome, which then fuels heart disease, stroke, and cancer, which then kills people.

0:39

So really, if you want to look at our health care system right now, you really have to get to the roots of how we got here.

0:47

to this obesity crisis to see where we can change things.