Obesity - are drugs the answer
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CBS Evening News is running a series this week on obesity.
Last night’s topic - Is Obesity About Willpower Or Wiring?
Per Dr. Rudy Leibel:
“There are a set of genes that we have acquired as a result of evolution over the past several millions of years that are designed to save energy; to make us efficient; to favor the ingestion of food.”
Researchers have isolated at least 30 to 40 genes that affect body weight.
Dr. Leibel again, on willpower and obesity:
“I’m saying that when you look at something as complicated as body weight, there is a biology. There are basic hormonal and neurologic phenomena that actually dictate this kind of very complex behavior”
He believes that within the next 10 years there will be “medications” that will “help reduce our collective girths.”
Let’s try some of that ole logic…
- obesity has been climbing for 30 years and has doubled over the past 20 years. - genes haven’t really changed over the past several million years.
- prior generations - with virtually the same genes - didn’t have near the incidence of obesity we have today.
- prior generations didn’t need “medications” to not be obese.
So, why are we focussing on “medications”. Why don’t we look at what has changed.
(hint: the prevalence of extremely processed food products rather than real food.)
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Tags: Obesity, Pharmaceuticals