Chewing the Facts

Chewing the Facts

In this new 10-part series, journalist Sasha Borissenko investigates the truth - and debunks the myths - about weight in Aotearoa. This is a podcast about fatness, but don't come here expecting any weight loss tips. The series will look at how society has conditioned us to feel about our weight, looking at everything from the messages we receive around food and dieting, to the societal structures in place influencing our decisions, with dozens of interviews with experts, government officials, industry representatives, and people with lived experience. New episodes out every Sunday. Produced with the NZ Herald with support from NZ On Air. Find research and resources mentioned in this episode at chewingthefacts.com

Episodes

July 30, 2023 1 min

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Could everything we know about fatness be wrong? Join Sasha Borissenko as she talks to experts, officials, and more about the forces behind society’s obsession with ‘the obesity epidemic’, the body mass index, and the power of interpreting data.

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August 12, 2023 39 mins

Is there more to the story than ‘calories in, calories out’? Join Sasha Borissenko as she talks to experts, officials, and more about the physiology around weight gain, the role of genetics, and the globalisation of ultra processed foods.

Find research and resources mentioned in this episode at chewingthefacts.com

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August 19, 2023 43 mins

In episode three of Chewing the Facts, Sasha Borissenko looks at fatness, the role of colonisation, and how the change in food environment is disproportionately affecting some of Aotearoa’s communities. 

Find research and resources mentioned in this episode at chewingthefacts.com

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August 26, 2023 48 mins

Could everything we know about dieting and exercise be wrong? Join Sasha Borissenko in episode four of Chewing the Facts as she tackles myths around ‘sweating off those pounds’, and the science and impacts of dieting. 

Find research and resources mentioned in this episode at chewingthefacts.com

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September 2, 2023 46 mins

The medical profession poses weight loss surgery as a solution to the ‘obesity epidemic’ but it’s fraught with social tensions and public health barriers to those wanting it. Join Sasha Borissenko in episode five of Chewing the Facts as she debunks the belief it’s a ‘quick fix’. 

Find research and resources mentioned in this episode at chewingthefacts.com

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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September 9, 2023 52 mins

Join Sasha Borissenko in episode six of Chewing the Facts as she dissects fat and health - a drain on the healthcare system or harm resulting from medical bias, prejudice, and misinformation?

With fat-related illnesses often cited draining the healthcare system, we fail to recognise the impact of prejudice among medical professionals. For a dose of health and fat, medical prejudice, and more, check out episode 6 of Chewing the Fact...

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September 16, 2023 51 mins

It’s legal to discriminate against fat people in the workplace, education, health, and public settings. Join Sasha Borissenko in episode seven to discover whether there’s any public or political will to change it.  

It’s legal to discriminate against fat people in the workplace, education, health, and public settings. Is there any political or public will to change it? 

Find research and resources mentioned in this episode at chewi...

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September 23, 2023 62 mins

Are all food choices made equal? Join Sasha Borissenko in episode eight of Chewing the Facts as she tackles the art of food advertising, health halos, and Aotearoa’s voluntary unregulated framework. 

Find research and resources mentioned in this episode at chewingthefacts.com

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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September 30, 2023 86 mins

From lobbying to commercial conflicts of interest, join Sasha Borissenko in episode 9 of Chewing the Facts as she investigates interventions to improve the food environment and the forces behind the scenes. 

Find research and resources mentioned in this episode at chewingthefacts.com

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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October 7, 2023 64 mins

Facts over fiction? Join Sasha Borissenko in the final episode of Chewing the Facts as she investigates why people are fixated with the idea of personal choice and what can be done about it. 

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