2 Articles into Obesity

Two interesting articles caught my eye this week on the Subject of Obesity.

1. Researchers confirmed that Obesity and Overeating are directly linked to excessive activity in a specific gene found in the human body.

You can't argue with a headline like that! It immediately grabbed my attention.
In this study the researchers bred mice with a particular gene that was identified in 2007 amongst heavier human subjects, which they believed could be the 'fat' gene. In the recent study they found that the mice with overactivity in this gene, "although healthy, ate more and became fatter than normal mice."

I argue that I wouldn't say these mice (nor people with this gene) are 'genetically' obese, they just eat more. Although their body may be telling them that they are hungry, when perhaps they are not, they don't have to eat and therefore put on weight.

Still, regardless of what people can conclude, it was an interesting study.

2. Lose weight by eating junk food?

A researcher recently proved that this IS possible. How? Just don't overeat!

Mark Haub, nutrition professor, believed that "It's all about how much you eat, not what you eat."

He tested the theory on himself, only eating a maximum of 1800 calories today (down from the usual 2600) and he ate only food that you would typically found in vending machines.

After 2 months of his experiment, his weight dropped to 174 pounds, and his BMI dropped to a healthy 24.9. The experiment even improved his other health statistics!

I wouldn't recommend this diet, and nor did he, but it is interesting how this actually seems, in a roundabout way, to back up the first article.

Although some may have this overactive gene, in the end it really does seem to be the quantity of what you eat that determines your weight. As Mark Haub showed, quantity makes a large difference, and quality seems to take a step back. The mice study shows that an veractive gene is merely causing people to eat more, increasing their weight.

To me, this evidence shows very clearly that it is nurture that alters our weight and nature is sitting the fight of Obesity out.


Article 1: Mice
Article 2: Mark Haub

Virtual Food Causes Stress in Patients Affected by Eating Disorders

Food presented in a virtual reality (VR) environment causes the same emotional responses as real food.

The 10 anorexic, 10 bulimic and 10 control participants, all women, were initially shown a series of 6 real high-calorie foods placed on a table in front of them.

Their heart rate and skin conductance, as well as their psychological stress were measured during the exposure. This process was then repeated with a slideshow of the same foods, and a VR trip into a computer-generated diner where they could interact with the virtual version of the same 6 items. The participants' level of stress was statistically identical whether in virtual reality or real exposure.

Speaking about the results, Gorini said, "Since real and virtual exposure elicit a comparable level of stress we may eventually see VR being used to screen, evaluate, and treat the emotional reactions provoked by specific stimuli in patients affected by different psychological disorders."

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Interesting study showing how virtual food can create a response within those with Eating Disorders.

Could this affect advertising in the future? Especially as advertising is slowly moving to becoming more interactive..

Link to Article