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From: The Daily Rant on 2 Feb 2006 12:45
Study: Virus Causes Obesity
By Jennifer Viegas, Discovery News,
http://dsc.discovery.com/news/briefs/

Jan. 31, 2006- At least three viruses may cause humans to gain
weight, a finding that could explain why obesity can affect many people
in the same region over relatively short periods.

According to a study published in this month's American Journal of
Physiology- Regulatory, Integrative and Comparative Physiology,
scientists now think a vaccine could prevent some people from becoming
obese.

In the United States alone, the prevalence of obesity among adults has
doubled in recent years and it has tripled among children.

"There is a strong social bias against such findings because many
people want to believe obesity is due to an individual's lack of
control on some personal, mental level, but we now think viruses may be
a factor," said Leah Whigham, lead author of the study and a research
associate in the Department of Nutritional Sciences at the University
of Wisconsin, Madison.

Whigham explained to Discovery News that prior research determined two
viruses, known to infect humans and animals, cause weight gain in
chickens and mice.

These viruses, called Ad-36 and Ad-5, are both adenoviruses, meaning
that they are part of a group of viruses that cause infections of the
respiratory tract and eyes.

In addition to causing congestion, pink eye, diarrhea and other health
problems, "These viruses," she said, "appear to cause changes at the
level of gene expression. They seem to accelerate differentiation of
preadipocytes (precursors to fat cells) into mature fat cells."

The viruses are transmitted by direct contact and through the air.

For the recent study, Whigham and her team infected test chickens with
three other adenoviruses. One of the three viruses, called Ad-37,
significantly raised visceral, or soft internal organ, body fat, as
well as total body fat. Since this virus also infects humans, the
researchers believe it can now be added to the growing list of viruses
that may cause people to gain weight.

Tests on humans appear to support the animal studies. Obese people are
much more likely to possess antibodies in their systems for one or more
of these viruses, which suggests the people were infected with the
viruses and that their immune systems were trying to fight off the
bugs.

Whigham also said studies on twins reveal that if one twin possesses
antibodies for the fat-targeting adenoviruses, this individual tends to
be heavier than his or her twin, even though both individuals have the
same genetic makeup and often have similar lifestyle habits.

Frank Greenway, a professor in the Department of Clinical Trials in the
Pennington Biomedical Research Center at Louisiana State University,
agreed that viruses were a "possible contributing factor" to obesity.

Greenway authored an editorial on the new research that appeared in the
same journal.

He wrote, "If a vaccine were to be developed, one would want to ensure
that all the serotypes (subdivisions of microorganisms) of human
adenoviruses responsible for human obesity were covered in the
vaccine."

Since 50 such viruses could be involved and all require further study,
Whigham thinks a vaccine could take 5 to 10 years or more to develop.

In the meantime, she said, "I don't think washing hands will rid us of
obesity. Other studies suggest that diet and exercise do make a
difference, so there is no reason to think 'Oh my gosh, there is a
virus, so I'm going to give up trying to stay in shape.'"

From: BJ in Texas on 2 Feb 2006 13:22
The Daily Rant <The_Daily_Rant(a)hotmail.com> wrote:
|| Study: Virus Causes Obesity
|| By Jennifer Viegas, Discovery News,
|| http://dsc.discovery.com/news/briefs/
||

Does this mean we need to establish fat-a-sylums and
isolate fat people?

--
"Men always want to be a woman's first love - women like to be a
mans last romance." -- Oscar Wilde quotes (Irish Poet, Novelist,
Dramatist and Critic, 1854-1900)


From: Bazooka-Joe on 2 Feb 2006 14:04

BJ in Texas wrote:
> The Daily Rant <The_Daily_Rant(a)hotmail.com> wrote:
> || Study: Virus Causes Obesity
> || By Jennifer Viegas, Discovery News,
> || http://dsc.discovery.com/news/briefs/
> ||
>
> Does this mean we need to establish fat-a-sylums and
> isolate fat people?


LOL. According to recent obesity studies, they would need to house
something like 60% of Americans.

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