In America, body weight has become a pain point shrouded in self-recrimination and shame, not to mention bias from the medical community. For many, this battle not only takes a mental toll but also becomes a physical threat: three-quarters of American adults struggle with weight-related health conditions, including high blood pressure, heart disease and diabetes. We know that diets don’t work, and yet we also know that excess weight starves us of years and quality of life. Where do we go from here?

This evening, Dr. David Kessler will discuss some key points from his new book, Diet, Drugs and Dopamine, which unpacks the mystery of weight in the most comprehensive work to date on this topic, giving readers the power to dramatically improve their health.

About the Speakers

Dr. David Kessler is a prominent figure in public health, medicine and academia. He served as the commissioner of the FDA from 1990 to 1997, making significant contributions to drug approval, food safety and consumer protection. He is also a professor of pediatrics and epidemiology at the University of California, San Francisco. Additionally, he has served as dean of the Yale School of Medicine and the UCSF School of Medicine.

The moderator is Anahad O'Connor. He is a health columnist who writes about food and nutrition for The Washington Post's Well+Being desk. Anahad joined the Post in 2022; before that, he was a staff reporter for The New York Times, where he spent two decades covering health and science.