this post was submitted on 05 Nov 2023
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[–] Torvum 3 points 1 year ago (2 children)
[–] BitSound 9 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago) (1 children)

I constantly see people bickering about this online, but that's not at odds with CICO. Yes, the overarching limits is CICO, but most people don't track calories. Fructose makes you more hungry and so you eat more food, and therefore CICO means you gain weight. From the article:

When these cellular powerhouses are slowed, the cells get stuck in a low-energy state, triggering hunger and thirst

So you're correct, but it's an unhelpful response. Kind of like saying "No, the Earth still isn't flat" when people are trying to figure out exactly how round it is.

EDIT: To your other comment:

At no point is fructose a direct cause of obesity, a byproduct yes.

"direct cause" is the wrong way to look at this. Even if the mechanism by which it acts doesn't cause obesity itself, it can be a root cause if, without it, people wouldn't engage in behaviors that lead to obesity, i.e. overeating. The difference between "he died because he ran into a tree" vs "he died because he was texting and not paying attention".

[–] [email protected] 5 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Everyone needs calories, no one needs fructose.

[–] Torvum 0 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago) (1 children)

What kind of statement is this. Calories are not comparable to the macronutrients that make them. Secondly, fructose (the worst of sugar) still isn't even dangerous unless in extreme amounts. It is objectively overeating calories, whether they be from protein fats or carbs, that make people obese. Objectively. At no point is fructose a direct cause of obesity, a byproduct yes.

[–] [email protected] 6 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Saying "People are obese due to calories" is about on the same level as "Cars crash because they move" or "Your floor is dirty because you spilled coffee". It's entirely correct, but it's also pretty useless.

"Eat fewer calories" is advice that's on the same level as "Next time, instead of dropping your coffee, don't drop it". It's true, and it works, but it's also useless since that's just not how it works. Why does someone overeat? Do they not know something is bad? Do they feel hungry all the time because of their diet? Are they eating shit because they don't have time/knowledge/ability to cook? Did I drop my coffee because I sneezed? Did I trip over the cat? Is my floor full of random holes? Am I wearing rollerscates? The nuances make all the difference, and the nuances are what you can use to improve the situation.

"If you don't want to crash, do not press the accelerator" is not road safety advice. "Make sure you keep your distance and check your brakes" is road safety advice.