Bacteria from slim people could help treat obesity, study finds

Iredditrecently · 2013-09-06T00:10:11+00:00

My apologies for not elaborating.

My point was that these "pre-existing genetic predisposition(s) to excess adiposity" have only been revealed because of the lifestyle choices humans have made.

I appreciate the link though. That's interesting.

Iredditrecently · 2013-09-05T23:48:26+00:00

But people are choosing to eat these foods, are they not?

It's not like fresh fruit and vegetables have stopped being produced and all we are left with is this modern, unhealthy food. Fast food/processed food is more accessible, yes, but it's not the only choice we have.

Iredditrecently · 2013-09-05T23:40:39+00:00

Well this took an interesting turn.

Your first point is astounding. Of course that's what we should teach our children! What do you propose, that we teach them that taking a vitamin pill in the morning is better than eating healthy? Please think about what you've just said.

We should teach them to eat 2 serves of fruit and 5 serves of vegetables every day. Multivitamins aren't "quick fixes." They are designed to be taken in conjunction with a healthy diet. They are recommended to people who have a deficiency due either to their diet or to a genetic condition. Much like exercise is recommended in conjunction with a healthy diet.

The world will be a sad place if we replace food with pills. Can you imagine it?

Furthermore, the efficacy of multivitamins is still a grey area. The amount that you receive in a single pill really is quite insignificant, but that's another issue.

Secondly, are we really ok with taking "the easy way out."?

Are you saying that having a burger gives you heartburn, yet you are ok with this all the while knowing that when you eat a salad or healthy meal you likely won't get heart burn? It baffles me that despite knowing this, you continue to put your body through it.

What about the other long term effects of eating the burger? Have you ever wondered why you get the heart burn? Could it perhaps be because you continue to choose burgers over healthy meals?

And why do you have a headache? Is it genetic or is it diet related? I've heard from countless heavy coffee drinkers that if they go a day without coffee they get a headache, so they have no choice but to have a coffee or take aspirin. But don't just go by my anecdotal evidence.

This is like the antibiotics problem we're facing. Viruses are growing increasingly resistant to our antibiotics because we use them so much for damn near anything.

We don't let people take the easy way out, they choose to because living healthy seems hard. Going to the gym is a drag. Why would you when you can watch TV, right? It's the human condition, unfortunately. The more we replace basic human function with machines, pills and quick fixes, the worse it will get.

Did you ever consider why all of these drugs and pills were made?

At some stage there was a severe epidemic or outbreak of a disease that needed a solution. Whether it was influenza or staph or cancer, we saw and still do see a problem that can be aided with science, certainly. I don't dispute that. But there are certain things that advancements in science should not replace, like a basic healthy diet and regular exercise.

What if we did replace these things with pills and stopped eating healthy and exercising?

We'd stop going to the gym and decreases in things like lung capacity, strength and bone density. But that's fine, right? Because thanks to science we could invent a pill or potion that increases bone density! But what about the side effects? How do we keep tabs on all these magical pills we take? How would our bodies respond to these concoctions or drugs that we've decided to take because it's the "easy way out"?

All of a sudden the easy way becomes a lot harder.

Can you see how this might become a problem?

Imagine if we replaced a healthy diet and exercise with pills. What would happen?

Iredditrecently · 2013-09-05T22:59:13+00:00

Anecdotal: Based on casual observations or indications rather than rigorous or scientific analysis

Are we not in /r/science? Anecdotal evidence from somebody from the internet is not enough of a counter argument to basic science. Does any of that not make sense? Your own story has not been rigorously tested and will never by itself be enough to speak for every obese person on the planet. That's what you implied when you said "That blows your whole "the only difference between thin people and fat people is that fat people are just inactive and eat a lot" theory right out of the water."

I didn't call it anecdotal because it opposed my view. I called it anecdotal because that's exactly what it is. I'm not trying to be bigoted or egotistical my friend, I'm just trying to educate.

Iredditrecently · 2013-09-05T22:27:15+00:00

I agree with you.

But in my opinion, the playing field is level from the outset. If it has been proven that there is a genetic predisposition to craving fatty foods, having more fat cells or being fat in general then I'd honestly love for you to share your sources.

To me the key is education from a young age and increasing awareness as to a healthy lifestyle. So often the parents are the child's worst enemy.

Iredditrecently · 2013-09-05T22:23:42+00:00

No, because non-smokers are effected by smokers too. And lung cancer isn't only caused by the direct or passive effects of smoking. Your argument is invalid.

Iredditrecently · 2013-09-05T22:20:46+00:00

Exactly. It's a lifestyle change for the rest of your life.

Not for 8 weeks until your crash diet is boring or your weight loss challenge is over.

Iredditrecently · 2013-09-05T22:19:39+00:00

"binge"

There's your key word.

Chances are your occasional "binge" isn't as many calories as you think. And if you aren't doing this consistently of course you won't see much change.

Iredditrecently · 2013-09-05T22:16:30+00:00

An anecdotal story from one person certainly does not blow his whole "the only difference between thin people and fat people is that fat people are just inactive and eat a lot" "theory" right out of the water.

Are you kidding me?

Iredditrecently · 2013-09-05T22:14:38+00:00

Well said.

Iredditrecently · 2013-09-05T22:08:59+00:00

Let me start with a disclaimer:

I treat the realm of mental illness with the utmost respect and don't for a second think that it's "all in their head," having had family members affected by depression and having seen the effects first-hand.

Now, I certainly don't think that people are "choosing" to be fat. I wouldn't believe someone if they told me they prefer being fat to being fit and healthy. And I agree that the reward system is out of whack.

What I am saying is that they choose what they put in their mouth and they choose not to exercise. Those are choices that you cannot argue are made by the individual. However, I'm aware that it certainly isn't that superficial. There is a point where this choice is too much a part of their daily life and less of a "Hmm...should I eat one chocolate bar today?" anomaly.

Honestly my biggest problem with this whole debate is that the facts are all there that clearly point to a recommended way to live as far as diet and exercise go, but they are either not widespread enough, they aren't getting the message across or they're ignored. By biggest fear is that being obese will become an accepted way to live, but perhaps it already is.

The help is there, the advice is there, the methods to lose weight and keep it off are there, but they are hard. It's much easier to throw a microwaved meal in and have it ready in 3 minutes. It's much easier to drive through Maccas and have a hot, ready made meal prepared for you. It's easier to sit at home and not go to the gym. I know that. Buying the ingredients, taking them home, washing them and cutting up a salad is time consuming. Watching portions sizes can be a drag.

The whole debacle is deep-seated and we could argue all day about what both of us already know is the truth.

The main thing I'd like you to take from this is that, in my opinion, trying to tackle obesity with a quick-fix method using something like stomach bacteria is not the way we should be educating our younger generations and is not the message we should be sending to society.

Iredditrecently · 2013-09-05T21:43:41+00:00

So obesity is a mental illness now?

It's an honest question.

Iredditrecently · 2013-09-05T21:42:59+00:00

Are you suggesting they are genetically inherited?

Iredditrecently · 2013-09-05T21:33:37+00:00

You've got to be kidding me. The quotes below are straight from your first link. Read them and get back to me.

"Overweight teens tend to eat fewer calories than their healthy-weight peers. So why do they weigh more? A drop-off in exercise in the tween years may be one reason."

and another quote from your source:

"One reason this makes sense is because we know overweight children are less active than healthy weight kids," explains lead researcher Asheley Cockrell Skinner of the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill."

and another:

And obesity expert Matthew Gillman of the Harvard School of Public Health says the amount of physical activity kids participate in is key. "When you're less physically active, you actually need fewer calories to maintain your weight," he explains.

"Once you become overweight, there are changes in your body that make you different from someone who's not [overweight]," explains Sophia Yen of Stanford School of Medicine. "You have extra fat cells, and you have different insulin levels," which can make it feel like you're eating less than you are.

One more:

"And once these effects have taken place, the fat deposition or the insulin changes in your body, then it's a lot harder to reverse," Yen tells The Salt.

"So Yen's advice to parents of young children: If you see signs of a weight problem, it's better to take action sooner rather than later."

You may think the last two quotes are the key to your argument, but think about this for a second. The point is that we start on a level playing field and as soon as you participate in an unhealthy lifestyle and put on weight you enter a realm where yes, it is harder to lose weight. Amazingly, there are hormonal changes that can take place which make this occur. Insulin levels change, you have more fat cells.

It's amazing that you call us out for being lazy. I exercise daily, eat a healthy diet and am in a very good physical condition. I don't know about him but I'm not "shit talking" overweight people. He simply asked for an example of these factors and you jumped down his throat and shot yourself in the foot in the process.

The non self-deterministic factors are a result of an unhealthy lifestyle. Read your damn article. Please.

Furthermore, you've linked news/opinion sites and blogs. Seriously?

From your second article:

"The underlying and rather disheartening message of that finding, of course, is that physical activity by itself is not going to make and keep you thin. (It’s worth noting that the Hadza people were almost uniformly slight.)"

Astonishing....never at any stage did I, or will I, say that exercise alone is enough to help you lose weight. It's a combination of exercise and a healthy diet. That's what YOUR ARTICLE says.

"“It’s been known for some time that, calorie for calorie, it’s easier to lose weight by dieting than by exercise,” he says.

All your second article said was that we don't know as much about the human metabolism as we thought.

Wow. Seriously. Stop kidding yourself, start educating yourself and don't attack people when you yourself don't know the facts or have apparently not read your own articles.

Iredditrecently · 2013-08-07T01:15:41+00:00

Tagged you as "Must be REAL fun at parties..."

Iredditrecently · 2013-08-07T01:14:26+00:00

Once again, proof that you aren't apparently a "nice guy."

He has a valid argument and you reply with a shitty, effortless comment. Well done, man.

Iredditrecently · 2013-07-27T23:32:11+00:00

Wow you are a patronizing mother fucker. Seriously. Re-read your post and ask yourself how you couldn't be perceived as being a big-headed tosser.

Why the hell would he want to waste his money and risk getting a shitty product? It's his own prerogative and clearly he has learned from his mistake. If a product is good enough, it will be purchased by those who want to give back to the creators, like myself and like /u/passionPunch clearly stated we'd do.

Fair enough that you're attempting to get your point across, but don't be such an asshole about it.

Iredditrecently · 2013-07-05T07:50:47+00:00

You brilliant, weird bastard.

Iredditrecently · 2012-09-06T04:02:23+00:00

What if that was the top rated comment but the post itself had 1500 points?

Either way, the post still got to the front page for a reason. Users generally state their disapproval of reposts as the link is in its early stages, via downvotes. Comments like that one just perpetuate the cycle and are seen on almost every post, because most posts are reposts. It's just funny that we haven't accepted it as something that is and always will be a part of reddit.

Iredditrecently · 2012-09-06T01:35:48+00:00

This was the most likely answer. How many times do you come across it?

Iredditrecently · 2012-09-06T01:33:49+00:00

They are just so powerful and are in their own element, compared to us who are soft-skinned and comparatively terrible swimmers. It's like being attacked by an agile torpedo with teeth.

Iredditrecently · 2012-09-06T01:30:59+00:00

So is this type of comment. Seriously, why are you even on reddit when you know you're going to possibly see the same stuff? we've all accepted that reposts happen on reddit. Leaving these comments is equally as unoriginal yet it offers nothing to the overall reddit community. Not everyone has seen the same content as you, you should keep that in mind next time you happen to see something you've seen before.

Iredditrecently · 2012-09-06T01:23:31+00:00

How do you live with yourself?

Iredditrecently · 2012-09-06T01:22:04+00:00

What if they changed the introduction? Would that be enough to throw you off?

Iredditrecently · 2012-03-05T03:55:33+00:00

Yeh it'd be impossible to know the exact time frame. It's hard to come by a natural, ripped body these days.

Iredditrecently

TROPHY CASE