I really enjoyed Dr. Robins’ talk last week and all the fascinating anecdotes and facts he brought into the room with him. We live in an age where we’re often told “sugar is the new fat”, and that fats, after all, might be good for you, despite what we’ve been preached since elementary school. Robins is extremely skeptical of any attempt to label anything as “the new fat”, and he criticizes the capriciousness of trends in health discourse.

In addition, Robins informed the crowd that whale oil had been commonly used as late as the 1960s, a stunning observation when one considers who anachronistic we view that practice. He also noted how the rise in vegetable oils has not hurt demand for animal fats, but actually increased them. For example, when soybeans are harvested for oil, that still leaves their solid content largely intact. This then becomes an easy, cheap source of feed for livestock, increasing production of meat. Therefore, you have a situation where this acts as a positive feedback loop.

Considering the gross amount of resources fats cost us and how much land (due to livestock and crop production) they use up, I wonder what role government regulation could play in managing them. Perhaps there should be a tax for fat production, instead of subsidies for this industry (as is done excessively for ethanol, for example)? I am no fan of the nanny state, but this may be needed to make us reconsider the role fats play in our lives.