Forum assesses a recent hypothesis on obesity, and how sugar may trigger a
starvation reaction in the brain, with Robert Lustig, author of the hypothesis,
which was published last week in Nature Clinical Practice: Endocrinology and
Metabolism, professor of clinical pediatrics, and director of the Weight
Assessment for Teen and Child Health (WATCH) Program at UC-San Francisco’s
Children's Hospital
The obesity epidemic is caused by a "poisoned" food supply that is
altering people's biochemistry and driving them to eat more and move less,
according to a hypothesis proposed by a UCSF doctor who culled results from
thousands of studies on obesity.
It is unfair and unhelpful to blame personal behaviors, especially a lack of
self-control, for the country's rising obesity rates, says Dr. Robert Lustig, a
pediatrician and nationally renowned obesity expert.
The processed food that is most readily available to Americans -- from potato
chips and cookies to yogurt and white bread -- is loaded with sugars that cause
the body to believe that it is hungry, which makes people feel compelled to
consume more calories and conserve energy, he said. Sugar makes the body produce
more insulin, which blocks hormones that would normally tell the brain to stop
eating, he said.
Breaking the pattern of sugar consumption -- a pattern that Lustig compares to
nicotine addiction -- is more than just a matter of willpower. It will take a
grassroots effort of doctors, community leaders and consumers to force the
government and the food industry to get those sugary foods out of mainstream
American diets, he said.
"Everyone's assuming you have a choice, but when your brain is starving, you
don't have a choice," Lustig said. "When you look at it that way, all of a
sudden Big Food looks like the perpetrator, and the patient becomes the victim.
Congress says you can't sue McDonald's for obesity because it's your fault.
Except the thing is, when you don't have a choice, it's not your fault."
Sportavia closes its doors permanently after originally announcing
last March that it was moving to seasonal operations and shedding most staff
over winter.
It is with a heavy heart that I have to announce the closure of Sportavia’s
commercial gliding operations. Since March we have been trying to sell the
business and its assets or just the management rights. The last of the potential
buyers withdrew their interest on Wednesday.
This is a very sad outcome for all of those who have been involved in the
business over the past 30 or so years. We would like to thank all who have
contributed through the years – customers, suppliers, staff and the local
community. Sportavia at Tocumwal was an extraordinarily wonderful place and,
while it was disappointing to only break-even this past season, its final season
will be remembered as a great one – one of the busiest and most enjoyable in
years!
In the Australian spring-time an auction will take place on site to sell most of
the assets. I expect that the land and buildings, a tug or two, and a couple of
gliders will be retained. The exact timing of the sale and an information pack
will be finalised over the next few weeks.
Those with gliders, caravans or both at Tocumwal will need to remove them by the
end of October. Special arrangements may be able to be made for our
international customers to extend this into November but this will only be done
on an as needed basis. Hangarage and site-rental invoices will be prepared up to
the end of October and sent to the affected parties. If any-one wishes to
include their aircraft or caravan in the spring sale process please email us as
soon as possible. All correspondence should be sent to
<info>.
For those customers who have paid a deposit for flying in the next season,
refund cheques are being prepared and will be sent out by the end of August.
Some customers have expressed interest joining a club whose annual membership
fee would cover a CFI/Tug master salary plus basic club running and insurance
costs. All other club services (towing etc) would be charged on a cost recovery
basis. Hangarage would be additional and directly paid to the property owner. It
is expected that membership will be limited to those who have an aircraft based
at Tocumwal. If there is enough interest this may allow the caravan park, some
basic accommodation to be retained and, perhaps, a couple of club aircraft. For
those interested in becoming a member of such a club please contact us on the
above email.
Again, I wish to thank all of those who have helped make Sportavia a truly great
place to visit over the years.
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