Obesity epidemic and our addiction to oil

[Mick F]

Did anyone listen to the "Life Scientific" at the end of January?
https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m000rmp5

Basically, the fat people are correct and we thin ones are wrong.
The human body is designed (like most mammals) to eat when food is plentiful, so we have a fat reserve for when the food supply has gone.
Trouble is, in the modern western world, food is always plentiful - hence an obesity epidemic.

[Jdsk]

The human body is designed (like most mammals) to eat when food is plentiful, so we have a fat reserve for when the food supply has gone.
Trouble is, in the modern western world, food is always plentiful - hence an obesity epidemic.

Yes. But it isn't only in "the modern western world". Diseases of excess now kill more people than diseases of deficiency in many other countries.

Basically, the fat people are correct and we thin ones are wrong.

What does that mean, please?

Thanks

Jonathan

[Mick F]

The genetics - the chap on the show said - that same as any other mammal, are programmed to eat when food it plentiful and eat as much as they can, so that in times of food shortages, they can live off their fat.

People (like me) who naturally eat sensibly have a defective gene.

........... or that's what the chap said.
Very interesting and enlightening.

Listen to it.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m000rmp5

Many of us think we’re in control of what we eat and that, coupled with what we do, dictates our shape and size. It’s physics after all - if you eat too much and move too little, you put on weight; do the opposite, and you lose it. Genes, the theory goes, have minimal if any effect on our size.

But what if we’re wrong? What if our genes have a powerful influence over how we put on weight, and why many struggle to lose it?

Over the past two decades, this once controversial idea has gained acceptance and has inspired the work of Giles Yeo. His research on the genetics of obesity at Cambridge University reveals the powerful ways in which our genes, which function within our brains, influence our eating behaviour.

These genes are far better suited to times of food scarcity. Fast forward to the modern diet, packed with sugar and fat, and our genetic makeup quickly becomes a recipe for disaster.

[Jdsk]

Yes. We're discovering more and more about the rôles of both genes and hormones in obesity and related stuff.

In marked contrast to "It's my hormones" being ridiculed not so long ago.

People (like me) who naturally eat sensibly have a defective gene.

I'd be very wary of drawing any conclusions in individuals from the effects that are now being identified.

It was the "correct" and "wrong" that I don't understand.

Jonathan

[Mick F]

Correct and Wrong was my way of illustrating it more easily than stating about defectiveness.
Too simple a statement maybe?

[Jdsk]

Thanks. I don't think that you were moralising, but I'm pretty sensitive to that in the area of health, both individual and public. It doesn't get us anywhere.

And in the same vein overattribution to genetic causes could get in the way of what we can change here and now... which is quite a lot.

We know what interventions we should be adopting.

Jonathan

[chris_suffolk]

We may be 'programmed' to eat as much as we can, so that we can survive in the lean times; but we are also intelligent (well most of us anyway) and thus can figure out that since there won't be any 'lean times' we don't need to stuff ourselves full of cake and chocolate!

[Mick F]

Are you suggesting that all obese people are unintelligent?

I'm very sure you're not of course, but that chap on the R4 prog I linked to, opened my eyes to some why people can't switch off their appetites. Put the food in front of them, and they eat it.

[SimonCelsa]

So how to cure the obesity epidemic?

I was quite a heavy smoker for 33 years of my life (from 13 - 46). I tried numerous times in my younger years to kick the habit but despairingly it was just too difficult. I finally managed to quit quite easily in 2012 by using an 'easy way to stop smoking' book.

I think the impetus to give up was given a boost when smokers started being 'shamed' by general society; asked to smoke outside in the rain, banned from smoking on airplanes, perceived threats of being put at the back of the queue for medical assistance due to self inflicted injuries etc etc.

Although I have no statistics I would imagine the smoking rate has dramatically reduced in the UK in recent years. Why is this same 'treatment' not being used for the obesity epidemic. Cruel to be kind? I do not wish to appear controversial but it appears a common sense method.

[Jdsk]

Although I have no statistics I would imagine the smoking rate has dramatically reduced in the UK in recent years. Why is this same 'treatment' not being used for the obesity epidemic.

It sure has:

But there were many factors involved over several decades.

IMHO shaming came quite late in the sequence, and isn't easy to measure. Banning from pubs and restaurants was certainly a long time after other measures.

Jonathan

[Jdsk]

... perceived threats of being put at the back of the queue for medical assistance due to self inflicted injuries etc etc.

Did that ever happen... they action not the the perceived threat? There was prioritisation according to likelihood of benefit but that's different.

Jonathan

[Jdsk]

So how to cure the obesity epidemic?

Public Health England on "the food environment".
https://www.gov.uk/government/publicati ... le-obesity

I imagine that the frustration with national policy is obvious...

And in a cycling forum the failure of government to develop transport policies that encourage exercise is well known. And in the Subject.

Jonathan

[SimonCelsa]

IMHO shaming came quite late in the sequence, and isn't easy to measure

It may not be easy to measure but I think most of us would agree it does work. I don't remember many people sympathising with my smoking 'genes', but I do remember plenty of comments regarding; 'filthy bloody habit', 'you're killing yourself you idiot', 'if you don't stop now you'll have your legs amputated' etc etc. At the time I knew the comments were correct and thus probably hastened my endeavours to quit.

It is quite puzzling why these 2 'diseases' cannot be approached in the same manner. I am not a vociferous insulting bully but sometimes a few home truths (in lieu of sympathetic platitudes) do precipitate action & strike some different chords. Where are the government health warnings on fizzy pop cans, the lurid images of vastly obese people plastered on the chocolate bar wrappers, the vast increases in taxes on food products detrimental to health......

It's a funny old life!!

[gbnz]

.

It's a funny old life!!

Could all be down to self delusion . Had my morbidly obese sister, with her obesity related struggling liver & heart tell our mother last year, that I ate an appalling diet (Nb. Reference was made to my use of lentils in preparing main meals, as an example ). Suppose she's not as morbidly obese as my younger brother, who struggles to walk across a level floor. Oh and can't sit in a normal chair anymore

Suppose I'll have to be careful, nearly half a stone heavier than when I was 18, am not quite 50 and due to Covid, am struggling with exercise (I.e., 57 on the bike today, 500 sit up's, but have neglected to do press up's . And due to covid, neither the gym nor the pool were open at 07.00am.

Doesn't it all come back to the fact that we're sentient beings and choose to be obese or not?

[Jdsk]

Doesn't it all come back to the fact that we're sentient beings and choose to be obese or not?

It depends if you want to reduce the problem as much as possible or to find people to blame.

There are choices that individuals can make, there are interventions involving others which support individuals, and there are national policies such as food and transport which we can only change at a much higher level than the individual.

It would be wise to adopt all that are effective and cost-effective.

Jonathan

PS: That stunningly successful reduction of smoking did not depend solely on decisions by individual smokers.