*Achoo* Now You're Fat!

[IndigoSensor]

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/39235187/ns/health-kids_and_parenting/

Nothing to sneeze at: Common cold virus may make kids fat

A common virus may be one of the causes of the troubling obesity epidemic in American children, a new study shows.
University of California, San Diego researchers found that obese children were far more likely to have antibodies to a specific strain of adenovirus than normal weight children, according to the report published early online in Pediatrics. Children who showed signs of infection with adenovirus 36 (AD36), a common cause of some colds and eye infections, were an average of 50 pounds heavier than those who had no antibodies to the virus.
...
Outside experts cautioned that the new research doesn’t prove that the virus causes weight gain — it’s entirely possible that obese kids are just more likely to get the virus.

This is pretty interesting to say the least. Apparently a study recently came out linking a certain antibody associated with fighting off the common cold, and becoming obease as a child. I will not lie, I laughed when I read this article. It actually does make some biological sense that it could rewire fat cells and change ones biology. Nevertheless, further down they state that the corralation is still mild (albeit in actual cases, there is a strong difference). In the end there is a huge case of media sensationalism going on here. Nevertheless, the study itself is interesting.

Thoughts? I know @Quinlan will enjoy this one

 

[tine]

Haha I studied this a bit in my biology course! The thing with fat cells is they never go away they just shrink, so once you have them they're always there o_o

 

[Melkor]

Well it does lead to some consideration over just how much genetic composition may affect obesity...
It's always sortof been assumed that eating too much is the way to obesity for any person, but perhaps 'too much' could vary in relation to said genetics...
Though high metabolism's might point in another direction.

It might make the nature over nurture debate a bit more pornounced, after all, how can we blame bad parenting on obese families if it's at least in part due to genes?

 

[laurie]

I have one question: Why am I not incredibly obese? I got colds (and still do get them) all the time!

Is it just that it affects very certain people? I'm so confused! XD

 

[Melkor]

I have one question: Why am I not incredibly obese? I got colds (and still do get them) all the time!

Is it just that it affects very certain people? I'm so confused! XD

I think it's more a case of 'Some people have a genetic structure that makes them less immune to colds and obesity' as oppossed to 'Sneezing makes you fat'.

It just so happens the latter makes a better headline.

 

[Ecton]

At least they acknowledged a potential reverse causality. Fat is well known to affect immunity respone.

Ill assert that the weight I gained in my 30s was purely due to behavior. All I have to do is contrast my eating habits with my wife's, and its clear that what I do is far less sustainable.

 

[arbygil]

Heh.

I wonder if it's an immunity issue? If you have a lowered immune system, would it cause a propensity towards weight gain and/or obesity...? Or it could be the other way around. Think of obesity this way: Usually obesity isn't caused by how much you eat, but eating the wrong kinds of foods. If you're eating poorly, you won't be getting enough vitamins and minerals and fats/carbs/proteins to take care of your body. So it could be that.

My guess is, the obese children are eating a lot of the wrong things (and if the body can't use it, it stores it). This may cause them to have more colds because they're technically malnourished.

 

[Quinlan]

The most intriguing part of the study is that the animals got fat when they were injected with the virus, that seems to rule out a lot of causes (like gluttony/sloth, bad parenting, social class etc.).

The funniest part of the article was the comments and seeing the people trying to justify their spite for fat kids and their parents. They cannot accept any other cause for fatness than gluttony or sloth because then they'd have to reflect on their own attitudes and behaviours and perhaps the fact that they've been arseholes to fat people. So they must deny, deny, deny and blame political correctness for the findings.

 

[Quinlan]

My guess is, the obese children are eating a lot of the wrong things (and if the body can't use it, it stores it). This may cause them to have more colds because they're technically malnourished.

Are the animals and the fatcells they injected also eating the wrong things?

 

[arbygil]

Are the animals and the fatcells they injected also eating the wrong things?

Good question. After reading the full article, it does pose some interesting thoughts. I wonder, though, if it is a genetic disposition if getting a cold might cause the reaction. The AD36 could be the result of a reaction, rather than a cause.

Perhaps AD36 is only released under a certain set of conditions; I'd want to see if poverty played a role here as well. There could be a host of factors, but this is interesting news.

 

[Quinlan]

When I saw the thread title I thought this would be about the study that found that obesity was socially contagious, eventually it was found that there were problems with the statistical techniques used and that using the same techniques pimples and height were also socially contagious.

 

[KazeCraven]

I think
-the causality does not run in that direction, despite the correlation (immunity/genetics probably plays a role)
-that there are viruses rerouting fat production, but this is an uncommon occurrence
-that sickness may temporarily change lifestyle habits, which could become ingrained long-term in some personality types

 

[Matariki]

Haha I studied this a bit in my biology course! The thing with fat cells is they never go away they just shrink, so once you have them they're always there o_o

Yep, you gotta love those fat cells. (I could kill those f*&king little bastards, they make my life hell on earth)

 

[Melkor]

I've been looking to put on weight, anybody want to give me the cold with a minimal amount of physical contact?