A Grand, Unified Theory of Why Americans Are So Unhealthy

Plain English with Derek Thompson

The Ringer

News Commentary, News

4.8 • 1.8K Ratings

🗓️ 18 June 2025

⏱️ 37 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

Americans are unusually overweight and chronically ill compared to similarly rich countries. This episode presents a grand, unified theory for why that's the case. Our food environment has become significantly more calorie-rich and industrialized in the past few decades, sending our obesity rates soaring, our visceral fat levels rising, and our chronic inflammation surging. The result is an astonishing rise in chronic illness in America. That's the bad news. The good news is that GLP-1 drugs, like Ozempic and Zepbound, seem to be astonishingly successful at reversing many of these trends. This episode blends two interviews with Dr. David Kessler and Dr. Eric Topol. Kessler was the commissioner of the Food and Drug Administration under the Bush and Clinton administrations, from 1990 to 1997. He helped lead Operation Warp Speed in its final months. He is the author of the book 'Diet, Drugs, and Dopamine.' Topol is a cardiologist and the founder and director of the Scripps Research Translational Institute. He is the author of the book 'Super Agers.' If you have questions, observations, or ideas for future episodes, email us at [email protected]. Host: Derek Thompson Guests: Dr. David Kessler and Dr. Eric Topol Producer: Devon Baroldi Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Transcript

Click on a timestamp to play from that location

0:00.0	Folks, it's Jay Kyle Mann from The Ringer, and as always, basketball is so freaking, freaking good.
0:07.5	It's so good, in fact, that the Ringer's NBA draft show is finally back just in time for a ramp up to June.
0:13.5	We've got you covered every week as we take an in-depth look at who's got next for the NBA's future.
0:19.1	We'll talk the rising and falling stocks of the best and the brightest prospects in the 2025 NBA draft class.
0:25.7	From Cooper Flag to Dylan Harper to VJ Edgecom and more.
0:29.8	Tap in with me on the Ringer NBA Draft Show every Wednesday and make sure that you follow,
0:34.4	subscribe, and hit us with those five-star ratings.
0:39.4	On June 25th, Ironheart arrives on Disney Plus.
0:42.7	What is going all with you?
0:44.5	From Marvel Television, an executive producer, Ryan Coogler.
0:47.5	I wanted to build something undeniable, but now I'm in trouble.
0:50.5	Don't miss the sixth episode of Vand.
0:52.4	I joined a crew of criminals, and now I'm about to
0:55.3	get killed by Doreenge Man in a Cake. Be the first to experience the all-new series. You've bitten
1:00.6	off a hell of a lot more than you can chew. I can chill a lot. Marvel Television's Iron Hard.
1:05.2	Streaming June 20th, only on Disney Plus. 18 plus subscription required. Decent Cs and Cs apply.
1:10.5	It's the cinematic event of the year.
1:13.3	Critics are saying a stunning, breathtaking triumph of savings.
1:18.0	It's two-for-one cinema tickets from Compeza Market in cinemas all year.
1:22.7	That sounds like a great movie.
1:24.0	Serge, it's no movie.
1:25.3	It's two-for-one offer on cinema tickets.
	...

Please login to see the full transcript.

Previous episode | Next episode

Disclaimer: The podcast and artwork embedded on this page are from The Ringer, and are the property of its owner and not affiliated with or endorsed by Tapesearch.

Generated transcripts are the property of The Ringer and are distributed freely under the Fair Use doctrine. Transcripts generated by Tapesearch are not guaranteed to be accurate.