Bill G

It’s complex, because it’s not like there are a lot of people out there saying that sugar is good for you.  No one is saying that you should take in a lot of sugar.  It seems that the whole substitute industry you have just been talking about is built around the assumption that sugar Is bad whether it is found in high fructose corn sugar or just cane sugar. We have rather complex models regarding the consumption of sugar. I doubt you would get a positive response if you asked every person whether sugar is good for them or whether they should eat more sugar. I don’t think anyone would say “I really believe in sugar.  I believe in excess calories. And I reject the idea that sugar is bad for you”.

Jeremy

When a human being has received the evidence and incorporated the evidence into their intellectual thinking process this does not mean that their emotional process isn’t still connected to certain habits that make them do things that are contrary to their intellectual reasoning. So, that is where our evidence-based approach falls apart. Because, in the real human experience we don’t make rational decisions based on evidence. We make emotional decisions. We consume sugary drinks even though we know this is bad for you. That’s what the economists are learning too. Their entire field used to be based on a model that we are all rational agents making financial decisions. But they now know that this is not the case. People purchase a house because the kitchen looks cool. They don’t sit there and pencil out the investment decisions. Some people do. I’m sure that some people lay out spread sheets. They probably end up not buying any house–because if you are too rational then buying a house might not be a wise decision. I think that is part of the challenge we are in. We are trying to shift the decision-making process.

Jack, this has come up repeatedly. Primary care has had all the evidence of its effectiveness for many years. It has been a slam dunk for probably thirty years.  And that evidence has been shared widely.  So, people have attempted to incorporate financing of primary care in the legislation – yet primary care funding has dropped during that period. Clearly, that is a pretty stark example of the failure of evidence to lead to social movements.

Mitch is anything of what we are saying related to concepts that you are bringing up?

Mitch

There is something malicious going on. We are choosing in our society not to regard the toxicity of fructose sugar. People would say sugar is not good for you, but we are unable to practice in a different manner. I don’t know if that is a mental model but it certainly is a matter of serious concern. I also want to note that high fructose corn syrup and obesity are not a one-to-one connection. There are people with fatty liver disease who are not obese—at least not outwardly obese. They have visceral fat. Only 20% of the people are on the fatty liver side. So, corn syrup might not be directly linked to obesity.