Join hosts Dr. Liza Dunn and GLP contributor Cameron English on episode 294 of Science Facts and Fallacies as they break down these latest news stories:
It seems that processed food has been blamed for almost every health problem under the sun: obesity, cancer, diabetes and depression -- to name just a few. Now, researchers are suggesting that eating highly processed food could actually accelerate the aging process. It's a shocking result if it's true. But in all likelihood, it's more speculation than science.
Ozempic and other weight-loss drugs are poised to make a sizeable dent in America's obesity rate. As an unexpected side effect, these medications may also discourage drug and alcohol abuse in the same way they reduce overeating. How this happens remains uncertain for now, but one possibility is that Ozempic blunts the pleasurable response that usually comes with drug use, incentivizing people to use less of a substance or just quit entirely.
The peer-review process is supposed to keep low-quality and fraudulent research out of academic journals. But what happens when peer-review fails? One scientist has identified multiple cases of major science publications not only publishing fundamentally flawed studies but refusing to retract them because it would have unpopular political consequences. What do we do when peer-reviewed journals promote ideology at the expense of science?