Obesity Gene

I`m glad they have finally identified that nasty obesity gene. All those poor deluded people thinking it was either water retention, inheriting their mothers hips or being big boned can now relax and get on with eating too much and not exercising enough in the full knowledge that it is not their fault. Strange how the obesity gene doesn`t rear it`s head in countries such as Ethiopia. It is also strange we didn`t see it in the western world 30 years ago. The obesity gene must be a late starter. It will probably be blamed on global warming.

Originally posted by Paul H
It is also strange we didn`t see it in the western world 30 years ago.

What - how does that stack up?

(and not like a pile of pancakes covered with syrup - mmm!)

What - how does that stack up?

It means, people with legs rubbing together at the knees and having to be winched out of their houses by Firemen so they can get treatment, didn`t happen 30 years ago. Neither did we have motorised carts at Disneyland for them to travel around the park.

You're a right cynical bunch here!!!! It's the reason I feel soooo at home [:X]

I have this gene, although it seems to concentrate around my waist!

[Darren Wheeler]

Originally posted by GrinningJackanapes
The obesity gene is recessive until it sits either side of me when I am in the middle row

GJ

You too? And I thought I was the only one.

Just another reason to turn left.

Originally posted by Paul H
I`m glad they have finally identified that nasty obesity gene. All those poor deluded people thinking it was either water retention, inheriting their mothers hips or being big boned can now relax and get on with eating too much and not exercising enough in the full knowledge that it is not their fault. Strange how the obesity gene doesn`t rear it`s head in countries such as Ethiopia. It is also strange we didn`t see it in the western world 30 years ago. The obesity gene must be a late starter. It will probably be blamed on global warming.

[:?] The point is that people who have the "obesity gene" will just have to work harder than some other people to have a "normal" appearance. There have always been overweight people - yes even in developing countries and maybe not in times of famine but that is hardly a normal situation. Some people have always had a tendancy to retain weight, this was known to be inherited, just as a tendancy to cancer, heart disease and male pattern baldness runs in families. It is only now that a gene has been identified so that in the future it may be able to give parents advance warning that their childen may be prone to weight gain. This will allow them to monitor their children's diets and hopefully help them avoid gaining too much weight in the first place.

Paul

[i]Originally posted by karnsculp
[b
[:?] The point is that people who have the "obesity gene" will just have to work harder than some other people to have a "normal" appearance....... It is only now that a gene has been identified so that in the future it may be able to give parents advance warning that their childen may be prone to weight gain. This will allow them to monitor their children's diets and hopefully help them avoid gaining too much weight in the first place.

[y]

[Decker]

And I'd like to see clinical studies where they establish whether people who are obese because of the gene are equally as predisposed to weight related illnesses as people who are simply obese because they overeat. There are several well documented cases of seriously overweight people who are very fit. Perhaps such people are genetically designed to be this weight. Genetically it would make no sense to remove all adaptations from the gene pool as you never know when changing circumstances mean that this becomes a survival trait. In the event of another ice age such insulated people may well lead to this gene becoming dominant once more.

Originally posted by Decker
In the event of another ice age such insulated people may well lead to this gene becoming dominant once more.

It is very comforting to think, as I sit in the garden, sun blazing from a lapis blue sky, birds singing in the blossom laden trees, winter pale, distended body absorbing the health giving ultra violet rays, that the fruit of my loins may become dominant body type in the impending ice age.

[Darren Wheeler]

I'm not convinced about the existance this gene. It seems a very convinient answer to a complicated problem. If it does exist, it must be more prevelant in the Caucasian population. If you look to the Far East, with a few exceptions, the population is generally thinner and healthier because the diet is much lower in fat. Look to the US and you can see the effect of a fat-rich diet and the impact fast-food like McD's, KFC etc. has.

[Decker]

Colder the climate the more likely fat as insulation will make its way into the gene pool - especially considering that geographic mobility is a fairly recent concept.

Originally posted by Decker
Colder the climate the more likely fat as insulation will make its way into the gene pool

But my birthday is in April. Which means I was conceived in the previous summer. Which would imply that the gene would be regressive in me, which it isn't, so you're wrong ;)

[Darren Wheeler]

Doesn't explain Florida either... [:p]

[Decker]

Cane Syrup

[Darren Wheeler]

Originally posted by Decker
Cane Syrup

Mmmmmmmm Tate and Lyle [y]

Originally posted by Decker
Cane Syrup

Mmmmm. Now your talking good gene therapy.


Post Edit - nearly snap!

[Darren Wheeler]

Add some suet pudding and loads of custard. Top grub that should be on any airline menu.

Originally posted by Darren Wheeler
Add some suet pudding and loads of custard

Explains many things!!

[honey lamb]

Originally posted by GrinningJackanapes
Isn't one leading indicator of one's having the obesity gene that one is also into computer games?

GJ

What about computer message boards? [:w]

so that in the future it may be able to give parents advance warning that their childen may be prone to weight gain. This will allow them to monitor their children's diets and hopefully help them avoid gaining too much weight in the first place.

So we need to start giving early warnings to parents[:0]. I expect it is not enough for them to see that they are feeding their kids too much and need to cut back.

In the event of another ice age such insulated people may well lead to this gene becoming dominant once more.

They wouldn`t be dominant for long. A world full of starving carnivores and a load of fat folk who can`t run away from them.

[Darren Wheeler]

Originally posted by Paul H


[i]In the event of another ice age such insulated people may well lead to this gene becoming dominant once more.

They wouldn`t be dominant for long. A world full of starving carnivores and a load of fat folk who can`t run away from them.

Survival of the fitest, or is that fastest?

Originally posted by Decker
Colder the climate the more likely fat as insulation will make its way into the gene pool - especially considering that geographic mobility is a fairly recent concept.

I doubt natural selection has much influence in this case. It only really comes into play when animals with specific genetic characteristics die and some do not due to specific environmental changes. I haven't heard of thin people dying all over the west because it's cold... [:?]

Indeed. Intelligence and cunning are probably more important to survive than strength or stamina anyway. So all that practice we have on this board trying to get the best deals/seats/preferential treatment will come in handy

Paul