Tuesday, June 27, 2006
Weight gain and obesity study.
Today on cnn.com there is an article about weight gain and the 10 most common reasons. I thought it was an interesting article and here are the top 10 reasons:
1. Inadequate sleep. (Average sleep amounts have fallen, and many studies tie sleep deprivation to weight gain.)
2. Endocrine disruptors, which are substances in some foods that may alter fats in the body.
3. Nice temperatures. (Air conditioning and heating limit calories burned from sweating and shivering.)
4. Fewer people smoking. (Less appetite suppression.)
5. Medicines that cause weight gain.
6. Population changes. (More middle-agers and Hispanics, who have higher obesity rates.)
7. Older birth moms. (That correlates with heavier children).
8. Genetic influences during pregnancy.
9. Darwinian natural selection. (Fat people outsurvive skinny ones).
10. Assortative mating, or "like mating with like," as Allison puts it. Translation: fat people procreating with others of the same body type, gradually skewing the population toward the heavy end.
Some of the reasons listed are interesting and some I am skeptical on. I still believe for most (not all because some folks do have real genetics/dna/medical issues) that their is growing weight gain due to lack of excercise and poor eating habits among most Americans.
So it appears we can conclude that most Americans are pill popping tired people working to hard that gave up smoking in the air conditioned building with older mom's. Interesting to say the least!
Enjoy the day everyone.
Today on cnn.com there is an article about weight gain and the 10 most common reasons. I thought it was an interesting article and here are the top 10 reasons:
1. Inadequate sleep. (Average sleep amounts have fallen, and many studies tie sleep deprivation to weight gain.)
2. Endocrine disruptors, which are substances in some foods that may alter fats in the body.
3. Nice temperatures. (Air conditioning and heating limit calories burned from sweating and shivering.)
4. Fewer people smoking. (Less appetite suppression.)
5. Medicines that cause weight gain.
6. Population changes. (More middle-agers and Hispanics, who have higher obesity rates.)
7. Older birth moms. (That correlates with heavier children).
8. Genetic influences during pregnancy.
9. Darwinian natural selection. (Fat people outsurvive skinny ones).
10. Assortative mating, or "like mating with like," as Allison puts it. Translation: fat people procreating with others of the same body type, gradually skewing the population toward the heavy end.
Some of the reasons listed are interesting and some I am skeptical on. I still believe for most (not all because some folks do have real genetics/dna/medical issues) that their is growing weight gain due to lack of excercise and poor eating habits among most Americans.
So it appears we can conclude that most Americans are pill popping tired people working to hard that gave up smoking in the air conditioned building with older mom's. Interesting to say the least!
Enjoy the day everyone.
# posted by Kurt @ 7:04 AM 
Comments:
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I can buy into a few of those, medications, yes, sleep, I had heard that one too. Thing is, I think a lot of people are on medications that they really don't need either. Feeling a little down, OK, take prozac, it will make you feel better!! Highs and lows are natural!!
The big thing though is too much eating out and eating these huge restaurant portions, then blaming the restaurants. It's not up to the gov to get the restaurants to help stop obesity, it's up to us as consumers to demand smaller portions (at a lower price!!) and more healthy meals. And people need to get out and exercise!!
The big thing though is too much eating out and eating these huge restaurant portions, then blaming the restaurants. It's not up to the gov to get the restaurants to help stop obesity, it's up to us as consumers to demand smaller portions (at a lower price!!) and more healthy meals. And people need to get out and exercise!!
Ok, #9...come on! That was true in the stone age, but I don't think nature is currently selecting for FAT. #10 - ridiculous.
#7 is interesting. I've never heard that before. #6 could be true, except that the high obesity rates in children would disprove that as an explanation.
#1 is probably very accurate. Sleep is my highest priority, but I know many people who dont' get enough.... speaking of which... time for bed!
Anywho... just glad to see that some former Marines are moderate enough to watch CNN ;)
#7 is interesting. I've never heard that before. #6 could be true, except that the high obesity rates in children would disprove that as an explanation.
#1 is probably very accurate. Sleep is my highest priority, but I know many people who dont' get enough.... speaking of which... time for bed!
Anywho... just glad to see that some former Marines are moderate enough to watch CNN ;)
Hmm, interesting responses by everyone. I think we all have our own opinions on what causes weight gain but it is a good discussion we need to have as a society.
In the end I will have cheesecake tonight and contemplate having a beer with it! Of course I will have to run an extra mile or two!
In the end I will have cheesecake tonight and contemplate having a beer with it! Of course I will have to run an extra mile or two!
I think the reason is too many calories and not enough activity. I heard an interesting solution the other day that if people stood up at their desks instead of sitting down, that would help solve some of the weight gain. Seems like such a simple solution to me.
Hey Kurt,
I think the biggest problem with these articles is that they confuse causation and correlation. For example: Yes, studies might find that fat people get less sleep than skinny people. But does that mean that lack of sleep causes obesity, or simply that obese people don't always care for themselves properly, and part of that is going to bed too late?
-Jessi
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I think the biggest problem with these articles is that they confuse causation and correlation. For example: Yes, studies might find that fat people get less sleep than skinny people. But does that mean that lack of sleep causes obesity, or simply that obese people don't always care for themselves properly, and part of that is going to bed too late?
-Jessi
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