Chapter 7, feeding a fat cell

Question 1

Several studies on small-for-gestational-age (SGA) infants (very small at birth) demonstrate that the exihibit what kind of reaction during the early postnatal period, and as a result developed what kind of conditions during childhood?

Answer 1

Exhibit rapid catch-up growth in early postnatal period. Develop obesity, persistent insulin resistance, and metabolic syndrome in childhood

Question 2

High blood glucose in the pregnant mother leads to?

Answer 2

High blood glucose in the fetus, and high insulin levels

Question 3

The journey through obesity and chronic metabolic disease begins and ends with the hormone…?

Answer 3

Insuline (the energy-storage hormone)

Question 4

There can be no fat accumulation without which hormone?

Answer 4

Insulin

Question 5

What is the effect of insulin on sugar and fat cells?

Answer 5

Insulin shunts sugar to fat. It makes fat cells grow

Question 6

High insulin is perhaps responsible for how many % of all obesity?

Answer 6

75-80%

Question 7

If you eat a meal, particularly one high in refined carbohydrates, how does your pancreas react? How does this again affect the fat cells? What initiates this reaction in the first place?

Answer 7

The pancreas makes extra insulin (insulin hypersecretion), it drives your fat cells to store energy. This is initiated by a signal from the brain to the pancreas via the vagus nerve

Question 8

If you’ve developed a fatty liver due to food intake, this will create insulin resistance, what does the pancreas do to bypass this?

Answer 8

Creates more insulin in order for the liver to do it’s job. This raises the insulin levels throughout the body, driving energy into fat cells everywhere, and making other organs sick as well

Question 9

Where is the stress hormone cortisol produced?

Answer 9

In the adrenal gland

Question 10

If your stress hormone cortisol increases, two things will happen, which?

Answer 10

It will work on the liver and muscle to make them insulin resistant, raising your insulin and driving energy deposition into fat. It may also work on the brain to make you eat more

Question 11

Certain types of medicine increase insulin and weight gain, which?

Answer 11

• Steroids - which are to control inflammation * Antipsychotics - to stabilize mood * Oral hypoglycemic agents to treat diabetes These are notorious for driving insulin up and causing excessive weight gain

Question 12

Once a glucose is in the bloodstream it has one of three fates, which?

Answer 12

1. It can be burned by exercise 2. It can be stored in fat by insulin 3. It can be excreted in the urine (which eventually overloads your kidneys)

Question 13

Changes in what factors in the mother’s life are felt by the fetus through the placenta, which can modify gene expression and function, affecting the child for the rest of his life?

Answer 13

Nutrition and/or altered physical stress