Oh goody -- a new excuse for being fat

[Bluerocket]

Saw this on AOL --- hoping they will come up with a shot for a cure in my lifetime --

What do you think?

The Fat Virus: Fact or Fiction

Can You Catch Obesity Like a Common Cold?

By Liz Neporent

The extra doughnut you ate this morning might not be to blame for those extra pounds you're carrying. The culprit may be a virus. New evidence shows that it's possible to gain weight the same way you catch a common cold.

Can a virus make me fat?

It's possible. Scientists have long known that viruses can cause obesity in animals such as chickens, dogs and monkeys. Now, they think they're hot on the trail of one that causes obesity in humans. Studies on the adenovirus 36 (AD-36), a pesky microbe responsible for respiratory and eye infections, is thought to be the most likely candidate.

How can a virus cause weight gain?

The mechanism by which AD-36 and other possible fat bugs work isn't fully understood but recent studies have demonstrated that they're capable of transforming stem cells into fat cells with a Herculean ability for gathering and storing body fat. The virus may also trigger immature fat cells to multiply more quickly than normal and signal metabolism to put on the brakes so that the body burns calories more slowly.

How would I catch this virus?

Like any other virus, AD-36 could potentially be transmitted through sneezes, coughs or direct contact. Nikhil Dhurandhar, Ph.D., an associate professor at Louisiana State University's Pennington Biomedical Research Center thinks this might be one explanation for how human obesity has spread so quickly across the globe. However, he points out our understanding of these viruses is still quite limited. There isn't much evidence that edging away from the portly person in the elevator if he sneezes in your direction will help you avoid coming down with a case of fatness.

How can I find out if I have the "fat flu"?

Currently there's no test available. In the lab, researchers determine whether or not someone has been infected with AD-36 by scanning their blood for antibodies. Antibodies are a sort of biological footprint left behind by viruses when they invade the body and AD-36 is no exception. Dhurandhar conducted an investigation where 30 percent of obese subjects tested positive for the AD-36 antibodies compared to only 5 percent of normal weight individuals. Even when other factors such as lifestyle, genetics and family history were accounted for, the AD-36 positive subjects were among the most obese.

Isn't weight gain often caused by overeating and not enough exercise?

"For some reason people get stuck on the idea that you need to push yourself away from the table to lose weight," he says. It ruffles Dhrandhar's feathers when people make comments about overweight people simply needing more willpower. "With the entire world in the mist of an obesity epidemic, no one has definitively shown it is due to overeating and nothing else."

Is there a cure?

Despite the fact that he's not convinced that being overweight is clearly linked to overindulgence, Dhurandhar does acknowledge that it will be years before a fat vaccine may be developed. It would be an alternative to anyone with extra pounds to have a choice other than to watch what they eat and engage in regular exercise to help burn off excess calories. "We may have better treatments some day, or even a cure, but right now these are the best [treatments] we've got," he says.

SOURCE: Article below ---

Too fat? Common Virus May Be to Blame

Adult Stem Cells Turn Into Fat Cells

By JULIE STEENHUYSEN, Reuters

Posted: 2007-09-04 17:07:59

CHICAGO - A common virus caused human adult stem cells to turn into fat cells and could explain why some people become obese, U.S. researchers said.

The research builds on prior studies of adenovirus-36 -- a common cause of respiratory and eye infections -- and it may lead to an obesity vaccine, they said.

"We're not talking about preventing all types of obesity, but if it is caused by this virus in humans, we want a vaccine to prevent this," said Nikhil Dhurandhar, an associate professor at Pennington Biomedical Research Center at Louisiana State University System.

The virus adenovirus-36 or Ad-36, caused animals to pack on the pounds in lab experiments. "These animals accumulated a lot of fat," Dhurandhar said in a telephone interview.

Dhurandhar also has shown that obese people were three times more likely to have been infected with Ad-36 than thin people in a large study of humans.

Now, researchers in Dhurandhar's lab have shown that exposure to the virus caused adult human stem cells to turn into fat-storing cells.

Dr. Magdalena Pasarica, who led the study, obtained adult stem cells from fat tissue of people who had undergone liposuction. Stem cells are a type of master cell that exist in an immature form and give rise to more specialized cells.

Half of the stem cells were exposed to the virus Ad-36. After a week, most of the infected stem cells developed into fat cells, while the uninfected cells were unchanged.

Pasarica presented her findings at a meeting of the American Chemical Society in Boston.

"The virus appears to change their commitment to a fat storing cell," Dhurandhar said, adding that Ad-36 is just one of 10 pathogens linked to obesity and that more may be out there.

He acknowledged that some people might find it hard to believe that a virus could be responsible for obesity.

"Certainly overeating has something to do with gaining weight. No doubt about that. But that is not the whole truth," Dhurandhar said. "There are multiple causes of obesity. They range from simple overeating to genes to metabolism and perhaps viruses and infections."

Long term, he said he hoped to develop a vaccine and perhaps treatments for the virus. But first, he and colleagues need to better understand the role of Ad-36 in human obesity, he said.

Globally, around 400 million people are obese, including 20 million children under age 5, according to the World Health Organization.

 

[Cathy_H]

I saw that & thought geez, the authorities giving people another reason to eat junk food now because it isn't their fault........ Also was thinking back when people had to actually do physical labor to plant, grow, harvest & preserve most of their food you did not see many overweight people..... The problem today is people do not have to put out much energy to get the food to their mouths and the fact that there have been more & more foods made to taste yummy with no nutritional benefits.........................................

Isn't weight gain often caused by overeating

I feel it is what people eat that contributes most to overweight.. I overate yesterday at a buffet

: so today I am eating yogurt, fruit & vegatables to make up for it........ Wanted to also say, yes I think some people have a tendency to collect weight more easily. Wonder how long it will be before we hear that study was wrong.

 

[lvponies]

So, all the junk and candy I eat may not be the reason I'm fat?? Yeah right!!! Maybe others have this virus. I just have no self control!!!

:

 

[Marty]

My excuse is that I eat too much :bgrin

 

[nootka]

Personally, I dont' think we need much of an excuse, what we NEED is more education and stricter as young people on what's healthy and right for our bodies.

Yes, junk food is GOOD and tastes good, and we crave it, but honestly, if we ate more good food as a rule, we would all be healthier.

I am not a "health nut" by any stretch, but realize that the basics are something I need to pay attention to in order for myself to stay healthy and active and my children to grow up strong and with less of a chance of suffering some chronic disease.

I wish I knew when I was little, and had parents that cared enough to help me eat better growing up, as it would have been easier for me, but now that I have learned, my kids eat mostly whole grain versions of things (yes, they also get some sugar), they do not drink sodas as a rule, candy is limited, and not replacing good quality food, they get high quality proteins, fresh fruits and vegetables and dairy.

I myself follow this same rule, and have, over the past two years, lost a lot of weight simply with that change alone. Gradually, but it has happened.

Liz M.

 

[Just Us N Texas]

I rarely overeat. I just eat the wrong things, and I know that! I probably have the least amount of appetite for anyone you know. I just choose to eat a cookie, piece of cake, candy, instead of wholesome meals.

 

[Marty]

Could you imagine that if we worried about our daily diet as well as we cared about our animals diets how great we'd all look!

 

[jdomep]

Personally, I dont' think we need much of an excuse, what we NEED is more education and stricter as young people on what's healthy and right for our bodies.

Yes, junk food is GOOD and tastes good, and we crave it, but honestly, if we ate more good food as a rule, we would all be healthier.

I am not a "health nut" by any stretch, but realize that the basics are something I need to pay attention to in order for myself to stay healthy and active and my children to grow up strong and with less of a chance of suffering some chronic disease.

I wish I knew when I was little, and had parents that cared enough to help me eat better growing up, as it would have been easier for me, but now that I have learned, my kids eat mostly whole grain versions of things (yes, they also get some sugar), they do not drink sodas as a rule, candy is limited, and not replacing good quality food, they get high quality proteins, fresh fruits and vegetables and dairy.

I myself follow this same rule, and have, over the past two years, lost a lot of weight simply with that change alone. Gradually, but it has happened.

Liz M.

Liz, I try too! If we do it now they may not have problems later. MJ son #2 is "soft around the middle" and has been from 3 months old I know this too will go away when he shoots up like Oliver did.

We have not entered a fast food door since May 1st!!!! I am so proud of us

:

Marty you said it all in one little sentence!

 

[Minimor]

Well, I seem to catch everything that is going around, and in all these years have yet to catch the fat virus.

The girls at work get frustrated (not that they are fat, but they do work at keeping their weight down & still aren't as slim as they would like to be) because they see me eating anything and everything (not that I'm real big on junk food, but I do like my candy & I eat buns, cinnamon rolls, ice cream...) and I never gain anything. They diet and watch what they eat and still don't lose, and sometimes even gain back what they've worked so hard to lose. Mind you, I'm the only farm girl there and the others are always saying "But you WORK!"

The one day I was munching down a fresh bun with butter and jam on it (breakfast, I had to bring my breakfast to work that morning as I was running late) and one of the girls came into my office & said in disgust "You can just eat anything, it's not fair!" I pointed out that "it's only a bun!" She practically shrieked when she said Holly, you know there are people that can't eat bread because it makes them gain weight. It's fattening! I looked at her, then at my bun, and said really? I didn't know that....

 

[Bluerocket]

Marty --- know just what you are saying -- was working my fat minis in the round pen the other night (I do walk constantly while working them) and thinking -- here they are fat -- and have been on diets and work outs for a month (dry lot, limited grain and hay and regular trotting in the round pen) -- and what have I done to work on my weight (which has gone back up yet again) --- I do walk with a pedometer and do 14,000 steps a day - but have not been dieting and you can tell -- the minis said "its not fair".

food for thought?? :lol: