Weight Loss Problems:
Genetics or Lifestyle
But the reality is humans stopped evolving a long time ago. Once we could control our environment, evolutionary pressures largely ceased.
But there are people with bad genes – this article excerpt talks about genetic obesity:
With John Wayne bluntness, David West, a geneticist and obesity physician at Parke-Davis in Alameda, California, says, "Some people have the good genes, some people don't. Some patients, especially the very morbidly obese, are pretty much a biological problem. They have a real nasty set of genes. As long as they have enough calories to eat, they're going to be fat no matter what environment they're in and despite their best efforts."
Nevertheless, West says most people don't get fat unless they follow a certain style of life. To gain weight they have to work at it: sit behind a desk all day, wolf down a big lunch, collapse at home with a few beers, then wake up the next day and repeat the process. Genes may make them susceptible to weight gain, but a fattening environment makes the gain happen.
In a way, most of us are a lot like a group of mice West has been studying for the past six years. The mice get fat only when they are fed a delectable brand of rat chow that resembles cookie dough--sugar, condensed milk, minerals, and powdered rodent food. As in a typical North American diet, 40 percent of the calories come from fat. And one group of rats in related experiments become obese only when they are offered many different, tasty items at once. Researchers call that a "supermarket" or "cafeteria" diet, and its similarity to the food available to most Americans needs no elaboration.
Why We Get Fat - research on genetics, Discover, April, 1999
What this says it that even those “genetically” bound to be obese still have to activate the process by over eating and under exercising.
The real reason why people are obese is the huge selection of fattening foods available and poor self control when it comes to eating. Plus, the TV, couch and remote control. Lifestyle changes are necessary if you want to burn fat.
Another factor related to genetics is that some people’s bodies seem to like to stay at a particular weight and body fat percentage. Even strict dieting and exercise just causes the body to burn less energy thereby defeating efforts to lose fat. The reverse is true for some who would actually like to gain weight – muscle weight – and can’t seem to no matter how hard they try.
The good news is these “set points” - that the body defends with a will - can be
changed by sticking with it. All the more reason for long term lifestyle changes
as opposed to “get slim quick” plans. Any short term plan – no matter how
effective – is doomed to failure.
These genetic body fat percentage set points may also be part of the reason why people get
obese in the first place. Since they see no immediate effects from overeating - their body may react by increasing their metabolism to burn off the extra calories - they think it’s OK to overeat again.
The stomach also expands to make room for the food consumed, you then need more
food to feel satiated. But after awhile, your body can just give up and it begins storing the extra calories in the form of fat.
This also explains why some folks just never get overweight – their body reacts to extra calories by increasing its metabolic rate.
Regardless of the cause, there is still only one sure cure for obesity – less food in, more calories burned.
Maybe someday we will be able to modify a person’s genetic structure so they don’t get
satiated, but that day is at least a decade off. Any “diet” medication – like those now coming on the market - used to suppress the effects of bad genes are likely to have unpalatable side effects including seriously denting your wallet.
And only a few percent of us are really affected by the perfect storm of bad genes that allow morbid obesity. For these few, they may be doomed to need very large coffins. But this has been the case for the last millennia and is no excuse for the bulging waistlines surrounding us today.
Look to lifestyle, not genetics if you really want to know why you are
overweight – and look at the good side: you do have a choice. Your obesity is not carved into your genetic code.
|
