Lec. 17 Obesity Flashcards
What is the BMI threshold for overweight and obese?
Above BMI of 25=overweight, above 30=Obese.
What are the projected obesity rates in the USA for 2025?
> 40%
What might be the reason why boys have more obesity than girls in China?
Traditional Chinese attitudes over-value males, the boys get spoiled with food by their parents and grandparents.
Is there a country where obesity rates have fallen?
In Cuba rates fell in the early 1990’s due to economic hardships, but have risen again well past previous levels!
What fraction of the US population suffers from metabolic syndrome?
One third!
What fraction of the US Population is overweight or obese?
over 2/3.
What is evolutionary mismatch with regard to metabolism in humans?
Populations adapted to nutritional hardship that have switched to high-caloric western diets have very high rates of metabolic disease.
Can you genetically manipulate a lab mouse to get obese?
Yes, you can knock out its leptin gene and in doing so, remove its capacity for satiety signals.
What is the strongest evidence against a major role for genetics in the obesity
epidemic in the US.
Rapid recent increase argues against a simple genetic cause.
What is the shelf life of a twinkie?
25 days.
Does the US government influence what farmers produce?
Yes, massively via farm subsidies.
What is bariatric surgery?
Surgery that alters the gut of a patient in the attempt to reduce patient weight.
What is a reason for overuse of antibiotics in animal farming?
Promoting weight gain (profits).
How could antibiotic treatments alter weight?
By changing the composition of the gut microbiome.
How could breastfeeding influence the rate of obesity in children?
By altering gut microbiome and immune maturation of the gut.
