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General discussion

Promising news in the war on fat

Mar 17, 2004 9:44PM PST
Brain enzyme may provide new weapon in war on fat.
Apparently, one of the causes of overeating is leptin resistance, even though there's plenty of leptin around. The situation is very similar to the insulin resistance that causes Type II Diabetes in the presence of oterwise adequate insulin supplies. No one yet understands what causes either resistance syndrome, though there's evidence that fat cells produce a still-unidentified substance that interferes with insulin receptor action; it would be particularly interesting if the same substance also interferes with leptin signaling.

-- Dave K, Speakeasy Moderator
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Discussion is locked

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Re:Promising news in the war on fat
Mar 17, 2004 10:14PM PST

Hi Dave:

Despite all these studies, I can't help but think the problem is primarily cultural. You don't see the "war on fat" being fought in other countries like it is here. The French, for example, eat some of the heaviest, richest food imaginable and they don't have the obesity problems we have.

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There is clearly a cultural component ...
Mar 18, 2004 8:42AM PST

The cultural aspect that I believe is strongest is the relative lack of exercise, but there may be other cultural issues as well. I don't think there are any other societies as thoroughly wedded to 'fast food' as the US is.

There has been some speculation about whether the French diet is really as 'bad' as it has been portrayed but I don't think anybody really knows the answer to that question.