Katherine Flegal, PhD: The Obesity Wars and the Politicization of Science

In this interview, Mitch Belkin and Daniel Belkin speak with Katherine Flegal about the relationship between BMI and excess mortality. Dr. Flegal's publication of two papers in JAMA led to substantial controversy among obesity researchers. They discuss the data regarding the U-shaped mortality curve, the history of BMI, as well as the politicization of science. Who is Katherine Flegal? Katherine Flegal is an epidemiologist and former senior scientist at the CDC's National Center for Health St...