Gene Eating Dr Giles Yeo Obesity & Diets

Skip navigation!

Begin Slideshow

nails by Claire Beaudreault; styled by Claudia Ficca/Apostrophe; photographed by Eric Helgas; modeled by Susan Schell.

We live in an age of misinformation and pseudoscience, and that's just what worries Dr Giles Yeo, a geneticist at the University of Cambridge. Dr Yeo first came to our attention when he hosted a headline-grabbing primetime episode of the BBC show Horizon, taking aim at the clean eating craze and its proponents.

In Clean Eating – The Dirty Truth, Dr Yeo tried to cut through the marketing spiel and dangerous claims diets often make. In doing so he exposed the facts about hugely popular diets like paleo, Atkins and Dukan, and challenged toxic terms like 'detox' and 'cleanse'. In his new book, Gene Eating: The Science of Obesity and the Truth About Diets, hailed as an 'anti diet' book, he gets more in-depth about the science of weight, obesity and diet. In the section below he tackles super foods, cleanses, sugar and raw food diets.

Click through to read an extract from Gene Eating by Dr Giles Yeo.

More from Diet & Nutrition

PCOS And Diabetes Are Connected – But Women Aren’t Being Told At ...

Trigger warning: This article contains themes of bulimia and binge-eating. As someone who was diagnosed with “inconclusive PCOS (polycystic ovarian synd

by Tanyel Mustafa

From Vitamin D To Weighted Blankets: Everything You Need To Get T...

Is it me or does everyone have a cold at the moment? I’ve just emerged from a week of sniffles, hot soup, duvet days and Bake Off reruns. It was my first

by Esther Newman

Dedicated Feature

How To Stay Calm When Everything Feels Chaotic, According To A Ch...

For many of us, it can be tough to find time in our day-to-day life to gain a sense of calm. Whether you’re on a tight deadline or cosplaying as an octop

by Jasmine Wallis

No One Needs Kourtney Kardashian’s Vagina Detox Gummies

We are in celebrity wellness hell. The other week, Gwyneth Paltrow, actress and founder of wellness brand Goop, made headlines after sharing her worryingly

by Chanté Joseph

Ask A Therapist: How To Escape The Pressure To Lose Weight This Year

Ever wondered what you’d say to a therapist, given the chance? We asked Dr Sheri Jacobson, a retired psychotherapist with over 17 year

by Sadhbh O'Sullivan

I’m Afro-Vegan & Christmas With Family Is Complicated

Nigeria’s food culture is very meat-centric. A typical Nigerian meal, such as Egusi or Afang soup, Ofada stew, Abacha, etc, isn’t complete without a ch

by Edisana Stephen

TikTok’s Internal Shower Trend Is… A Bit Shit

Thanks in part to TikTok’s normalisation of the subject, we no longer wallow in our stomach problems in secret. We are now proud IBS girlies and we t

Digestive Health

Here’s Why Everyone On TikTok Is Talking About Their Gut Health

Refinery29’s selection is purely editorial and independently chosen – we only feature items we love! As part of our business model we do work with

Will Eating Always Be Emotional For Me?

For as long as I can remember, food has been bound up in my emotions. In normal, healthy ways such as cake on birthdays and family roast dinners but in wor

by Sadhbh O'Sullivan

Healthy Lifestyle Tips

7 Foods To Eat When You Really Can’t Afford To Get Sick

by Elizabeth Gulino

Diet & Nutrition

Here's What Happens When You Quit Drinking Before Christmas

Right, so before you write me off as a spiralising bore who has seen the light of sober living and wants to share – just hear me out. I really don’t ge

This Is Why Going Vegan Can Cause Havoc On Your Bowels

Welcome to Bathroom Break, Refinery29’s series all about poo and the complicated relationship we have with our bowels. To see the rest of the articles, c

by Sadhbh O'Sullivan