What If Obesity Is Nobody's Fault

[PasadenaTrudy]

"The understanding of obesity’s origins is far from complete. The Mrap2 gene has only been linked to human obesity in rare cases, and obesity may very well result from a mix of genetic and other factors, ranging from overeating, to stress levels, to gut microbes. Yet, the Harvard mouse study suggests that society should withhold their judgments against overweight people. “Many of us unfortunately have had an attitude towards obese people [in that we see them as] having a lack of willpower or self control,” he says. “It’s clearly something beyond that.”

http://nautil.us/issue/7/waste/what-if-obesity-is-nobodys-fault

For what it's worth. Just thought it was interesting and shows that there is so much yet to be discovered on obesity...

[Warpy]

1. I've been saying this for years

but I guess a lot of people out there need people to look down on and blame, "for their own good," of course.

There was a study done a couple of years ago on adenovirus serotype 36 in children. They found that all the kids who tested positive were obese and that the deviation from the normal weight was fifty pounds. There were kids who were obese but not positive for the virus but the correlation was incredibly strong for an infectious cause of extreme weight gain, and 50 pounds in a kid is extreme.

If they keep following up on this one and looking for other infectious agents that either attack healthy gut bacteria (eg bacteriophages) or reprogram the cells, themselves (like the adenovirus 36), we might eventually see a vaccine against obesity and the end of the obesity epidemic.

And it does follow the classic pattern of a contagious epidemic, starting near the Gulf of Mexico and traveling out from there. Mexico has just passed us in obesity rates and the pattern is the same there. And there is no way you can tell me Mexicans are couch potatoes who live on fast food.

[dionysus]

2. sometimes it is.. sometimes it isn't...

some people have medical conditions or take medications that cause huge weight gain.. others just shovel down tons of food...

[liberal_at_heart]

3. I think it is really sad how fast we jump on scientific results. Back when the federal

and state governments funded most of the scientific research, the research was much more thorough. Research would last for decades before they would even come out with the results. These days someone does a three month study on something and we all jump on board the bandwagon. I agree. We are far from understanding obesity and many other diseases as well. I also agree that people should just back off and leave people alone. We've become a very nosy society. We want to know what everybody is doing, and we all have expert opinions on what other people are doing wrong and how they should correct what they are doing. I wish people would just take care of themselves and stop trying to change everybody around them. Having control over others is a very self gratifying feeling and it is what drives religious people to try and control others, and it is also what drives liberals to think they have the authority to control other people as well.

[Arugula Latte]

4. Another factor: food addiction is very widespread

and it's an addiction that is very difficult to resolve because you can't just stop eating for the rest of your life.

[pipoman]

5. I feel it is usually more of a volume addiction

combined with unfortunate metabolism.

[Drahthaardogs]

6. Right now, I have three dogs all very good blood trackers and retrievers, all in good health,

all from very well known kennels, all from the same breed. I feed a moderate high quality kibble during the off season and switch to high protein food like Canidae during hunting season (I find too rich of food during the off season makes them overly gassy and have loose stools). All are middle aged dogs. All are intact. All get vigorous training and exercise five or six days a week.

Anyone, one male eats about the recommended portions on the package and stays fit and trim. He is a well muscled dog.

My other male needs almost twice what is recommended on the bag. I have a hard time keeping weight on him. He gets painfully thin during bird season when he is working hard.

My female tends to be heavy. The vet chastised me and I told her "She gets three cups of food a day and I refuse to feed her any less. She is a 75 lb dog" She looked at me and said "I guess you are right, she just has an overly efficient metabolism. You cannot feed her less than that." (Yes, I have had her thyroid tested multiple times, no issues there)

Just my un-scientific, un-human study tells me there is something going on here beyond diet and exercise.