The Dr. Hyman Show Obesity Isn’t Your Fault: Biology, Addiction & Solutions with Dr. David Kessler
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Oct 1, 2025 
In this conversation with Dr. David Kessler, former FDA Commissioner and expert on food addiction, the complexities of obesity are unraveled. Kessler shares insights on how ultra-processed foods hijack our brain's reward systems, making us overeat. He discusses the alarming health impacts of visceral fat and his FDA petition aimed at regulating processed refined carbs. Plus, he compares food addiction to drug addiction and explores the limitations of current weight-loss drugs. Discover practical tips to navigate a food environment engineered for overeating!
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Personal Weight Struggle During COVID Work
- David Kessler gained 40 pounds after leading Operation Warp Speed and felt unhealthy despite high-status roles.
- He discovered his weight came from using food to regulate energy and mood during intense work periods.
Visceral Fat Is The Primary Health Threat
- Visceral 'toxic' fat (belly fat) drives heart, liver, pancreas harm and many chronic diseases.
- Medicine is converging on the idea that ectopic fat is causal in metabolic, cardiac, renal, and cancer outcomes.
Evolution Meets Engineered Foods
- Human brains evolved reward circuits to seek energy-dense foods during scarcity, making modern sugary/starchy foods highly salient.
- Ultra-processed food exploits those circuits, producing widespread cue-induced wanting and overeating.
