IINsider’s Digest: Factory-Farmed Chicken Linked to UTI Epidemic, It is Riskier to be Underweight than Overweight?, and more...

This week, David Katz reconsiders the debate surrounding Gary Taube’s “is a calorie a calorie” debate – suggesting that such “silly questions…forestall the progress we need” (US News).

Winner winner, chicken dinner? Think again. A growing “epidemic” of urinary tract infections may be linked to new strains of drug-resistant bacteria produced by the factory farming of poultry (The Atlantic).

A recent study suggests that it is far riskier to be underweight than overweight (LA Times), which doesn’t provide much motivation for doctors who are already hesitant to deal with patients’ weight problems (NPR). In related news, nearly half of high schools students report that physical education is not part of their curriculum, despite the rising tide of obesity.

IIN graduate Dawn Lerman is also tackling obesity head-on, as she chronicles her experience as the child of a “Fat Dad” for the New York Times. Her experience should resonate with many Americans, as Bloomberg News reports that the most food-secure nations often have the worst diets.

Mark Bittman boldly goes dairy-free and discovers a surprising range of health benefits (NYTimes), while the American Heart Association and American Diabetes Association question the overall benefits of artificial sweeteners (CNN). Meanwhile, scientists are trying to market a genetically engineered apple that doesn’t turn brown after slicing (NYTimes).

Spending more time at the farmers’ market this summer? So are we. That’s why we’re excited to learn more about the first-ever social network for greenmarkets (Fresh Nation).