Inside America's obesity epidemic, Brittney Griner back in court: 5 Things podcast
On today's episode of the 5 Things podcast: Inside America's obesity epidemic
Patient safety reporter Karen Weintraub's six-part series dives into the history of obesity and why it's more complicated than many realize. Plus, President Joe Biden will meet with Chinese President Xi Jinping amid Taiwan tensions, Maria Aguilar looks at apps trying to change traffic stops Russia's Gazprom cuts off more gas to Europe and Brittney Griner is back in court.
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Hit play on the player above to hear the podcast and follow along with the transcript below. This transcript was automatically generated, and then edited for clarity in its current form. There may be some differences between the audio and the text.
Taylor Wilson:
Good morning. I'm Taylor Wilson and this is 5 Things you need to know Wednesday, the 27th of July, 2022. Today, America's obesity epidemic. Plus the next steps for the U.S. toward Taiwan and more.
Here are some of the top headlines:
A new report from Amnesty International found that the lives of women and girls in Afghanistan are being destroyed by a Taliban crackdown since they took power nearly a year ago. Amnesty said the Taliban has further destroyed protections for those facing domestic violence, while banning girls from attending school from seventh grade on.
The Federal Reserve is expected to announce another interest rate hike today. The release of the consumer price index this month revealed that inflation rose 9.1% in June compared with the same time last year.
And that giant mega millions jackpot has skyrocketed past a billion dollars after no winner won the top prize last night. The next drawing is set for Friday.
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America has an obesity epidemic, and the problem has long been seen as a personal failing, but science disagrees. And the full story is more complicated. Patient safety reporter Karen Weintraub spoke with producer PJ Elliot for a two part series on the podcast. Today, what has changed over the years in the battle against the disease?
Karen Weintraub:
Shockingly little. I mean, I've been writing similar stories for decades, it feels like. Other people have. One of my challenges in writing this series was trying to figure out something new to say that hadn't been out there a billion times. And what I focused on is there have been some significant advances in science, particularly in medication treatments and also in understanding obesity that we had the sense that it was every individual's fault for being overweight. That they didn't exercise enough, that they didn't push away from the table fast enough, that if they just had a little more self discipline, they could lose weight. And science is really showing that that's just not true.
PJ Elliot:
So what do the numbers look like now? What does the obesity rate and the death rate caused by obesity and other diseases that come from obesity?
Karen Weintraub:
At last count, which was just before the pandemic, 42% of Americans met the medical definition for obesity, which is having a body mass index of 30 or above. It's a weight to height ratio of 30 or above. Many people dispute that BMI is a good measure, but that's the one that is generally used. And having obesity does increase the risk for about 200 diseases. Everything from diabetes, high blood pressure, some types of cancer, kidney disease. So the American Medical Association defines obesity itself as a disease and a number of advocates I talk to really resent that. That yes, they acknowledge that it may increase the risk of disease but fitness, the lack of fitness, may actually be a bigger problem than the pounds on a scale. And so there really hasn't been that much research parsing out that difference, how much is due to the extra weight and how much is due to people not having good fitness. About 12% of deaths annually can be attributed or related to obesity.
PJ Elliot:
So why are the rates so high?
Karen Weintraub:
Having extra pounds, substantial extra pounds seems to affect the way our cells work and really limits their ability to function at full capacity and particularly for things like metabolic health. So insulin level can skyrocket when you eat too many processed carbs, particularly your insulin levels can spike. Too much sugar, your body can't process it. And it can create an imbalance, and your body can't handle that much sugar. And so it really can lead to some health problems, particularly diabetes, which is when your pancreas basically gets overworked by having to process too much sugar and can't cope with that.
Taylor Wilson:
For part two, be sure to tune into tomorrow's episode of 5 Things, and check out Karen's full six part series of stories on obesity in America with a link in today's episode description.
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President Joe Biden and Chinese president Xi Jinping will meet later this week for the first time in months. The talks come amid new tensions between Washington and Beijing over China's claim on Taiwan. There's also increasingly the possibility of a visit to Taiwan by House Speaker Nancy Pelosi. She has not confirmed plans to do so, but Biden last week told reporters that U.S. military officials believed it was not a good idea for her to do so. The Financial Times, though, reported last week that she planned to visit Taiwan in August after postponing original plans from April due to a positive COVID test. Chinese officials have said a visit by Pelosi would be seen as a change in U.S. policy and treated as a provocation. The U.S. has long committed to a one China policy that recognizes Beijing as the government of China but allows informal relations and defense ties with Taipei. The AP's Matthew Lee has more on this latest chapter of U.S., China, Taiwan relations.
Matthew Lee:
This will be a significant conversation when it happens. There are a lot of things on the U.S. China agenda right now, and a lot of really delicate and tricky things that have the potential to explode into something that neither country would probably want should there be any kind of miscalculation or misunderstanding of the other's position. And so that's why this kind of call at the leaders level is very important. So it is difficult if not impossible to carry on good international relations hygiene without there being discussions between the leaders of the world's two largest economies. And also, I might mention, two of the world's largest polluters when it comes to emissions that cause climate change.
In addition to that, you have issues that are at the front and center ranging from Taiwan to Hong Kong to human rights in Xinjiang in Western China to the Chinese actions in the South China Sea. The Chinese are extremely sensitive about the issue of Taiwan. This is the number one thing that they raise in every single meeting that they ever have with U.S. officials and complain about the support that the U.S. is giving to Taiwan and accuse the U.S. of backsliding on its one China policy. The concern right now from the White House, from the Pentagon, from the State Department, from the Intel community, is that the Chinese would see a visit by Speaker Pelosi right now at this point in time - just couple months before the Party Congress and just about a month before the UN General Assembly, before all of these other big international summits at which President Xi and President Biden are both expected to attend - as a real insult, as a real affront. They might be more inclined to take stronger response than they might otherwise be expected to.
Taylor Wilson:
For more, stay with USATODAY.com.
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Being stopped by police can lead to a warning, a ticket, a night in jail, or a tragedy. But several apps aim to empower drivers who see flashing lights in their rear view mirror by informing them of their rights, recording the incident, and even giving real time legal advice. USA TODAY's Maria Aguilar and producer PJ Elliot have more.
Maria Aguilar:
So the apps that I wrote about - TurnSignl, Legal Equalizer, then I think I also included the ACLU Mobile Justice app and then some shortcuts that you can use - I would say that they're part of a growing effort to ensure that no traffic stop turns deadly. So that's what they're trying to do. They're trying to just make it safe for both the driver and the police officer. And I think that raising awareness about these tools is definitely important because I don't think there's a lot of people out there that know about them. I personally, I didn't know until I wrote the story. So I definitely do think that's important.
But yeah, I guess I'd say if we're talking about all the apps generally, what the creators told me and what I read about was what they really want to do is empower drivers. So they know that a traffic stop can be as stressful and potentially scary situation for some people. So for drivers to know that there's someone in their corner to help them if needed in case the traffic situation goes south, that's a huge, huge relief. I'd also probably say accountability. So not having a one-sided account of the traffic stop can help people tell their side of the story.
PJ Elliot:
So walk me through the process. I'm driving along. I get pulled over by a police officer, and then what?
Maria Aguilar:
So it really depends on which app you're using, because one of them connects you to a lawyer. And then the other one, it lets you livestream to your trusted contacts. So it really does depend. But the general idea is you get pulled over, you immediately open the app. And so you're actually recording or connected to a lawyer before the officer even gets to you. You're not always going to be that quick in getting to it. So that's why the shortcuts can really be helpful. If you have a shortcut set up on your phone to just be like, "Hey Siri, open up TurnSignl," then it automatically comes up and then you're set to go before the officer gets your window. And so, yeah. Then you're set to go. You're either recording the encounter. Your trusted contacts know about you being pulled over. Or you're already talking to a lawyer, so that person is there to help deescalate the situation if needed.
PJ Elliot:
The ones that connect you to a lawyer, are they state specific since different states have different laws?
Maria Aguilar:
Yes. So that one app that - because it's just one, It's TurnSignl - it's available in six states. And so the lawyers that will assist you vary by state because they have to be from that state to help you out. Their plan is to go national next year, but that's definitely going to be a process because state laws vary.
Taylor Wilson:
Check out Maria's full story in today's show description.
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Russian energy giant Gazprom today is expected to continue reducing the flow of gas through its Nord Stream 1 pipeline into Europe. The flow will drop to around 20% of its normal capacity. The company this week blamed the reduction on the need to overhaul a pipeline turbine. But Germany is accusing Gazprom of politically motivated moves amid Russia's invasion of Ukraine. And Ukraine's president, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, said Russia is cutting off gas ahead of Europe's winter, after much of the region has pushed heavy sanctions on Russia. European Union energy ministers yesterday agreed to a 15% gas consumption reduction. EU commission president Ursula von der Leyen.
Ursula von der Leyen:
In case that we have a situation that deteriorates, like the full disruption of Russian gas, we trigger an EU alert overall for the European Union. We are asking the member states to reduce by 15%, the gas consumption. 15% why? This is the equivalent to 45 BCM of gas. And with such a reduction, we can make it safely through this winter in case of a complete disruption of Russian gas.
Taylor Wilson:
Meanwhile, Russia plans to withdraw from the International Space Station in 2024. The head of the Russian space agency said yesterday that the country will focus on deploying its own space station. The move is the latest sign of fading relations between Russia and the U.S. The two countries have worked together on the station for almost three decades. Europe, Japan, and Canada are also partners. NASA said Russia has not notified them of their plans, and science historian Jordan Bimm said it would be possible to keep the station running without Russia but that "practically, it could be a nightmare depending on how hard Russia wanted to make it for NASA and its remaining partners."
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Brittney Griner is due back in court today in Russia. Defense testimony resumes in the WNBA star's drug trial after being temporarily halted yesterday due to a U.S. State Department official fainting in the courtroom. U.S. Embassy officials visited with Griner yesterday as cameras took pictures of her talking with them from the other side of a cell. Griner also held up photos of her wife, friends, and teammates.
Taylor Wilson:
Embassy official Elizabeth Rood.
Elizabeth Rood:
We were able to spend time with Ms. Griner, talk to her, ask her about her welfare. And she confirms that she is doing okay and as well as can be expected under these circumstances.
Taylor Wilson:
The 31-year-old has been in custody since being arrested on drug charges at a Moscow area airport in February, days before Russia invaded Ukraine. She pleaded guilty and acknowledged that she was carrying vape canisters with cannabis oil. Griner said she accidentally packed the cannabis and that it was prescribed by her physician. She could face up to 10 years in Russian prison.
Thanks for listening to 5 Things. You could find us seven days a week right here wherever you're listening right now. Thanks to PJ Elliott for his great work on the show, and I'm back tomorrow with more of 5 Things from USA TODAY.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Science and obesity, Brittney Griner expected to testify: 5 Things podcast
