"obese" news and stories

A study was done recently that concluded that obesity might be contagious. This conclusion was extrapolated from data that showed an increase in the weight of chickens who had been exposed to the human adenovirus Ad-37. Adenoviruses can cause colds and other illnesses in humans. The reasoning seems to follow this line of thought: Chickens, when exposed to a particular, contagious human virus, got fat . Since it is a human virus, humans who catch this virus will get fat. Since the virus is contagious, it follows that obesity is contagious.

So is obesity only contagious when the carrier of the virus has a cold? Can you catch it from sitting next to someone on an airplane? To say that this line of reasoning is flawed is an understatement. It is simply incorrect.

Simply because a cold can cause a chicken (or a human, for that matter) to gain weight does not mean that all weight gain is caused by colds in general or this virus in particular. Nor does it mean that because colds are contagious, so is weight gain. Someone needs to retake their deductive reasoning courses.

 

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Food Technology Magazine published their report in trends in the food industry this month, which includes statistics indicating that the popularity of take-out and premade foods is on the rise and that people perceive foods found in the refrigerated section of the supermarket as being healthier than frozen foods. Health concerns are growing, but still only 32% of meals are made "from scratch" at home and fewer than 20% of all meals are eaten at home - takeaway or homemade - are eaten at the table, with the whole family. The article (available as a PDF) is packed with fascinating statistics, but one of the lists is a clear indicator that no matter what adults are saying and doing in the quest for a healthier diet, the most important age group is being ignored: children.

2005 has been a banner year for both nutrition awareness and dieting, from carb to calorie counting. New diets and trends are springing to life before our very eyes, but USA Today put together their top five trends in nutrition and diet from the past year

1. Atkins bankruptcy. Dieters moved away from the strict carb counting regimen prescribed by Atkins Nutritionals, opting for more moderate plans, like the South Beach Diet.
2. Non-diet dieting. Eat less to avoid weight gain was the strategy presented to American women by Mireille Guiliano, a very thin French woman who advocated eating for pleasure. In small amounts, of course.
3. A new food pyramid. The USDA's revamped guidelines emphasize making healthier choices in each food group, encouraging people to choose leaner meats, whole grains and low-fat dairy in addition to a variety of fruits and veggies.
4. Attention to kids. Some companies pledged to stop directing marketing at kids, like Kraft Foods, Inc., while other companies were pressured promote healthy options instead of junk foods.
5. Obesity. Can the extra pounds kill you? Scientists seem to think not, though there are many health problems caused and/or exacerbated by obesity, including high blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes and heart disease, any of which can contribute to a decrease in life expectancy.

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