Obesity might be caused by bacteria

[undergroundpanther]

Obese humans and mice had a lower percentage of a family of bacteria called Bacteroidetes and more of a type of bacteria called Firmicutes, Gordon and his colleagues found.

The researchers aren't sure if more Firmicutes makes you fat or if people who are obese grow more of that type of bacteria.
But growing evidence of this link gives scientists a potentially new and still distant way of fighting obesity: Change the bacteria in the intestines and stomach. It also may lead to a way of fighting malnutrition in the developing world.

Nikhil Dhurandhar, a professor of infection and obesity at Louisiana State University's Pennington Biomedical Research Center, wasn't part of the research, but said it may change the way obesity is treated eventually.

“We are getting more and more evidence to show that obesity isn't what we thought it used to be,'' Dhurandhar said. “It isn't just (that) you're eating too much and you're lazy.''

I know,The diet crowd is gonna jump on this and pooh pooh as hard as they can, the fat phobics are gonna keep bashing and healthnuts are gonna respond and again tell fat people what to eat, ect... But for all the other people who are NOT looking at weight as a "moral failure" on the part of that fat person this research may offer hope of actual weight changes that LAST.someday.

I posted stuff about obesity and the infection/pollution angle other times on here and I got the old pooh pooh and the health nuts and go organic crowd and diet fans overtook the thread and sidetracked it into the same old diet advice stuff. I am posting this for fat people who have tried the diet game and are tired of struggling against the body and who find the effects of diets didn't last for them.There may be hope, it looks like some of the people studying obesity have finally gotten off the fat bashing diet and exercise hobbyhorse,and are discovering some interesting things..
http://www.livescience.com/humanbiology/061220_ap_weight_bacteria.html

[wickerwoman]

1. Is this connected to the breakthrough they made on diabetes?

[TexasProgresive]

6. No

The Canadian breakthrough on diabetes has to do with nerve cells and their response to pain in the pancreas causing the beta cells to shut down. This may possibly move to a "cure" for type I diabetes (Juvenal) which has not relationship to obesity. The researchers did say that they thought it might be applicable to Type II but as a Type II diabetic I'll wait and see. I do hope that this will be a cure for Type I's as they have a much harder row to hoe.

[Selatius]

2. Obesity is likely caused by several factors.

1. Diet (what kind of food you consume and how much)
2. Genetics (Some people have high metabolism rates; some don't)
3. Lifestyle
4. And apparently now bateriological determinants within the stomach/intestines

The key to managing one's weight will likely have to take into account all those factors and potentially more. Right now, there appears to be no solution for the 4th factor listed or even the 2nd one listed, but that shouldn't stop one from taking steps to counter 1 and 3 if not for the goal of losing weight than for the goal of maintaining cardiovascular health.

[Skittles]

3. yes

I am astounded how many people will start an exercise program and quit when they don't reach their weight goals quickly enough. I do not debate whether or not to exercise - I just do it and my primary motivation is cardiovasular health and bone density - I see the weight maintenance as a bonus. :)

[Sapphocrat]

5. Don't forget hormones.

Dunno if that would fall under genetics, but I expect not. First thing that comes to mind (in women) is polycystic ovarian syndrome, which, among a host of other symptoms, practically guarantees obesity.

[TheBaldyMan]

4. you'ld have to eat a truckload of bacteria..

[no_hypocrisy]

7. OTOH, I have read about weight loss with plain yogurt which is full of

bacteria that is good for the digestive system. Maybe if the bacteria theory for obesity is valid, then fighting bacteria with other bacteria would be the remedy. Physiologically bacteria does not independently die off, but rather, it multiplies without intervention. Knowing the pharmaceutical trade, it wouldn't surprise me were a new type of antibiotic to be developed to kill yet another type of bacteria which would be confused with an infection.

[KittyWampus]

13. but dairy food often contributes to 'damp heat' as it's called in TCM-that screws our digestive fire

Better to eat miso soup, salt pickled food (as Japanese prepare it) and take probiotic acidophilius. And also lots of veggies well chewed.

And to NOT eat dairy, cold foods, too much meat and refined sugars and flour.

In other words, NOT eat the Standard American Diet.

[no_hypocrisy]

14. I'm looking into the macrobiotic diet which encompasses your suggestions. n/t

[KittyWampus]

15. I've done macrobiotics... some good lessons in it. You learn to really taste food

It's incredible how sweet an organic, fresh apple is after not having processed sugar sweets for a while. :)

[Vinca]

8. Obesity might be caused by Dove chocolate . . .

or Big Macs or bagels with half an inch of cream cheese. Bacteria? Which came first . . . the blubber or the bugs? If the bugs love double cheeseburgers, they'll multiply. Raw carrots, no bugs. Just my opinion as a person always looking for an easy fix for my big, fat . . . did I mention my New Year's resolution is an hour on the treadmill a day and no more Dove chocolate?

[etherealtruth]

9. My understanding is that ...

...it is unclear whether obesity changes the bacterial constituents of the gut or if the bacterial changes cause obesity.

There is no doubt that obesity is a very complex problem and whatever the relationship btw. the residents of the gut and obesity is, it certainly is noteworthy.

[donheld]

10. NO! it can't be

How will we justify hatred of fat people if this is proven :sarcasm:

[Feron]

11. The NYT has a story on this a month or so ago..

Basically the bacterial presence only increases the amount of calories absorbed from food. And different people may extract different amounts of calories from the same food whether it be partial or all.

So if you monitor your caloric intake, you will still lose weight. However for someone with the bacteria, their required caloric intake will always be lower than the rest of us.

Basically it still boils down to diet and exercise even if it may be more challenging for some people. There's nothing to suggest that having the bacteria is an insurmountable obstacle to fighting obesity.

I think self-acceptance is good: You don't have to look like a model in order to be healthy and fit. And while such studies are welcomed, they aren't a crutch to excuse poor eating habits and a sedentary lifestyle.

[KittyWampus]

12. Well, you change gut flora by using dietary habits and lifestyle choices.Unless you're eating well

and taking healthy craps, you can't change your gut flora.

[helderheid]

16. Yogurt is excellent as is this

http://www.florahealth.com/