Obesity: Why are we getting fat? :epizza:

[Michaelangelica]

Regarding Leptin, has a drug been developed yet where you can inject this into people so that it can prevent any overweight reactions from happened, as a training pharmacist I should know this, but I don't...so does anyone know of any developments in this area drug-wise?

interesting. I have never heard of it before

Some links:-

Leptin and the regulation of body weight in mammal...[Nature. 1998] - PubMed Result

 

Palgrave Macmillan Journals - Citation Results

 

Leptin - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

 

Leptin

 

Leptin and Resistin

 

The Leptin Diet: How Fit Is Your Fat? by Byron J. Richards, Author of Mastering Leptin

[Monomer]

Gas-Filled Liquids Curb Appetite

 

Scientists say a liquid meal made with tiny gas bubbles can fill up your tank and give you more mileage between meals. It might sound like an infomercial, but study data being presented this week at the 16th European Congress on Obesity in Geneva, Switzerland, shows that a new high-tech diet liquid meal infused with gas reduces appetite for hours.

 

Previous studies have suggested that increasing food volume with water or air can increase the feeling of fullness and decrease subsequent food intake, according to background information in the study abstract.

 

Researchers with the Unilever Food & Health Research Institute examined the effects of gas-filled liquid foods on the appetites of 24 overweight adults about 42 years old. Unilever makes many products, including Slim-Fast.

 

The study participants received a gas-filled liquid meal or a standard liquid shake, either as a single large serving (1,000 milliliters for the gas-filled liquid, 325 milliliters for the standard liquid), or as two half-servings given two hours apart. The total calorie count from the drinks was the same. Participants reported feelings of hunger and fullness for four hours after drinking the shakes.

 

The experiment showed that both the full- and half-size gas-filled liquids significantly reduced appetite ratings when compared to the standard liquid meals.

 

But one might wonder: Could a belly full of gas lead to a big bellyache? Researchers noted "increased reports of gastrointestinal complaints" among those who received the large gas-filled liquid meals.

[LJP07]

Yeah, Leptin drug development is probably an active area of research right now, Monomer, regarding the access to the publications, I haven't got one yet, but have to purchase one anyway so when I do, I'll post up the findings.

 

Michael, I don't know, but have you heard of Orexin...another chemical produced in the body in relation to energy intake and expenditure. Just thought I'd bring it up if it already hasn't been mentioned.:eswirl:

[Michaelangelica]

May 16, 2008, 9:49 am

Obesity Promotes Global Warming?

By John Tierney

 

Tags: energy, exercise, fat, global warming

 

As someone who commutes by bicycle into Manhattan, I would normally applaud any scientific rationale for more bike lanes. But some calculations in the new issue of the Lancet make me uncomfortable.

The authors argue that policies promoting cycling and walking are good for the planet because they could reduce obesity — and obesity, the authors calculate, contributes to global warming.

Obesity Promotes Global Warming? - TierneyLab - Science - New York Times Blog

[Michaelangelica]

Yeah, Leptin drug development is probably an active area of research right now, Monomer, regarding the access to the publications, I haven't got one yet, but have to purchase one anyway so when I do, I'll post up the findings.

 

Michael, I don't know, but have you heard of Orexin...another chemical produced in the body in relation to energy intake and expenditure. Just thought I'd bring it up if it already hasn't been mentioned.:)

Hard to get free info on this

But. .

The study found that the brains of rats bred to be lean are more sensitive to a chemical produced in the brain, orexin A, which stimulates appetite and spontaneous physical activity such as fidgeting and other unconscious movements. Compared to rats bred to be obese, the lean rats had a far greater expression of orexin receptors in the hypothalamus.

. . . .

Lean rats have elevated expression of orexin receptors

 

“We knew from previous studies that orexin stimulated

. . .

have shown that disabling the orexin system of lean rats causes them to eat less and move less, which leads them to become obese, Kotz said.

Obesity: Is It In Your Head?

 

Effects of Peptides on Food Intake and Obesity

 

Neurotransmitter Orexin Associated With Pleasure And Reward Pathways In The Brain

[Turtle]

...

This (below) just reinforces all the judgemental stereotypes we have of fat people.

I probably shouldn't put it here but in "Beautiful Architecture" thread

But, it is funny.

I laughed at the 'load-bearing' part because I was a carpenter. However, as anyone should know, Hansel & Gretel were stick-thin little waifs because their stepmother didn't feed them, and this is why the Witch kept them so long, i.e. to fatten them up. So as a fat joke, this is factually wrong and so not even fat funny to me. Still however, we have all these judgemental stereotypes of Witches lacking patience. :) There's nothin' funny about that! :doh:

[Michaelangelica]

I laughed at the 'load-bearing' part because I was a carpenter. However, as anyone should know, Hansel & Gretel were stick-thin little waifs because their stepmother didn't feed them,

Yes it was wrong and bad of me to post this stereotype. But I couldn't resist.

[Turtle]

Yes it was wrong and bad of me to post this stereotype. But I couldn't resist.

 

Which stereotype? The one about witches, or fat people? :doh: Or is it step-parents? Waifs? Poor little stereotypes by omission. :( Mmmmm...tastes like chicken. :)

[Racoon]

Why are we getting fat?

Becuz' we ingest more calories than we burn.

 

due to: cars,computers,convenience,fastfood,t.v., et al...Modern unhealthy lifestyles

 

 

We are NO longer Hunter and Gatherers in a tribe. We no longer range and forage for berries and commodities.

 

We are programmed and made sentient by our modern occupations and activities.Electronic Age.

 

 

Why are we getting fat is a simple mathemtical equation.

 

Calories ingested > calories expended

[Kayra]

I have not read the entire thread, but I think I have most of the highlights.

 

On a personal note, I believe that Racoon is correct, but as to why we consume so many more calories then we burn off is not always due to laziness.

 

We are driven by hunger to eat (usually). Hunger is indirectly controlled by our blood sugar levels.

 

As we consume food it is converted by our bodies into usable forms of energy. This available energy signals the body to produce insulin which in tern forces the muscles and fat cells to store energy. As the glucose levels drop the insulin production decreases and blood insulin levels drop a short while later. Insulin is the great mediator of the bodies energy system as is used by a large number of systems.

 

The important difference today is that the majority of the food that we eat in first world countries could almost be considered pre-digested. The foods we consume are very rapidly converted into blood glucose. As the rate is much higher then we were (generally speaking) genetically prepared for, our system has some difficulties coping. The rapid increase of blood glucose encourages larger then normal insulin production in our body as it tries to normalize glucose levels. High insulin and glucose levels are exactly the conditions that muscle and fat cells need in order to maximize energy storage. Muscle cells have limited energy storage in the form or glycogen, but fat cells can store significantly larger amounts of energy.

 

The processed foods we eat these days are converted so rapidly that they are rather quickly consumed, leaving our bodies in a particular state. As the source of energy is depleted, the body, with its high levels of insulin, quickly stores the remaining glucose as fat. The result is a drop to a low blood sugar state that will continue until the insulin is degraded by the liver. It can take the body up to an hour to degrade the insulin that it has produced.

 

This low blood sugar level is offset somewhat by the liver as it creates glucose from its stores, and the fat cells do start to shed their stored energy as well. Another side effect of this is drastically increased hunger as the body sees the low blood sugar as a need for more energy.

 

A rather vicious cycle :hihi:

 

The short of it:

1. We get hungry due to low blood sugar
   
   
2. Modern food we eat rapidly turned into sugars
   
   
3. Insulin levels match sugar levels fairly rapidly.
   
   
4. Body stores energy and fat
   
   
5. Modern food rapidly depleted
   
   
6. Sugar levels drop, but Insulin levels take time to normalize
   
   
7. Sugar levels forced below healthy levels by high Insulin levels.
   
   
8. Body gives off some fat and glucose stores to equalize blood glucose levels
   
   
9. See step 1
   
   

 

I think the solution is to eat foods that have a high glycemic index.

 

 

Please keep in mind that my opinion is not based on scientific studies that I can point to, but rather is intuited from a more general set sources and experiences. As with many intuited solutions, the body often confounds us with counterintuitive realities, and I would be very interested in learning more on this.

 

Edit: one thing I forgot. The liver gives up its stored energy quickly to match short term energy needs, while fat cells give up stored fat slowly to meet long term energy needs.

[Kayra]

DOH!!!

 

I meant eat LOW Glycemic Index foods ..

[Racoon]

very good post Kayra.

I agree.

 

The only qualm I have is that its reported in some circles that food manufacturers include ingredients that make you feel less full and eat more..

(ever read the ingredient list?)

 

I can't substantiate that claim with pure facts right now, but I believe it to be true in some cases.

 

Microwave-convenience foods.

The more you eat the more they make...

[Kayra]

I find that completely believable Turtle.

 

Best bet for LOW Glycemic Index foods is whole foods. Pick up any Low GI book out there and you should be good to go.

 

And reading the label is something my wife started about 9 months ago (I mean completely reading it). Now she is completely paranoid of the entire industry, and consequently we are eating healthier then we ever have in our lives.

 

She has lost almost 40 pounds and is looking hotter then ever. I am down over 20 pounds and my energy level is through the roof. About 1/4 of our weight loss occurred before we even changed any other aspect of our lifestyle, simply changing to low GI foods.

[Racoon]

I find that completely believable Turtle.

 

Best bet for LOW Glycemic Index foods is whole foods. Pick up any Low GI book out there and you should be good to go.

 

And reading the label is something my wife started about 9 months ago (I mean completely reading it). Now she is completely paranoid of the entire industry, and consequently we are eating healthier then we ever have in our lives.

 

She has lost almost 40 pounds and is looking hotter then ever. I am down over 20 pounds and my energy level is through the roof. About 1/4 of our weight loss occurred before we even changed any other aspect of our lifestyle, simply changing to low GI foods.

 

Thats Awesome!!

But I'm not Turtle, :hihi:

 

I know I am associated w/ the one and only Turtle, but I am not him, and he is not me. :D

 

I am flattered by the confusion. ;)

 

Yes Kayra!

[Kayra]

Thats Awesome!!

But I'm not Turtle, :hihi:

 

I know I am associated w/ the one and only Turtle, but I am not him, and he is not me. :D

 

I am flattered by the confusion. :D

 

Yes Kayra!

 

;), it is defenitely time to go home.

so very sorry for the confusion my friend.

[Biomajor]

The virus theory is very interesting and I think possible. Now, if someone seemingly got fat "over night" I would definitely investigate the virus theory. But, if there is genetic evidence...or they drastically changed lifestyles and it came after several years of a sedentary lifestyle...well...

 

And there is the genetic factor, it is a fact that some races are more prone to obesity due to natural selection.

 

Also, over processed foods are definitely a culprit. We all like our meals in a hurry...even the ones we fix at home. I know I do not like staying in the kitchen longer than needed. Preservatives...additives...

[mynah]

Poor people in the developing world get fat, too...

 

This seems to be why

 

(Speak of a double whammy!)