Ragen Chastain: Debunking Bad Medicine

Fat Chicks on Top

Nov 20 2023 • 55 mins

Guest: Ragen Chastain (blogger, author, podcaster)

Ragan Chastian began debunking weight loss "science" in 2009. She originally just wanted to find the most effective diet for weight loss. What she found was over a centruy of bad research. It was so bad, she did her search a second time to verify she hadn't missed anything.

What she discovered is that most "weight loss" research limits its time period to less than two years. When participants began to regain weight, research simply stops and reports what happened in the first year. She discusses how current astroturf organizations (fake grass roots groups) continue to promote bunk science to further their profits.

We also chat about how the weight lost industry has co-opted the language of body liberationists to promote weight stigma and continue to get folks to risk their lives to be thin.

Sites and Socials

Substack Newsletter

Dances with Fat blog

Instagram

Fat, The Owners Manual

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Big Queer Book Club on Discord

Geek History of Time Podcast

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