Morbidly Obese Mutants

AhnimusAhnimus Posts: 10,560
edited November 2006 in A Moving Train
We all have our preconceptions about obese people and more particularily morbidly obese people. For a typical obese or overweight person with significant adiposity we can attribute it to lack of will power and sociocultural environment. Lack of exercise combined with poor diet.

However, what of the morbidly obese? Is it possible biology/genetics are responsible. In fact, it is.

Leptin is a hormone produced by adipose tissue (stored fat) that regulates the intake of food and the use of energy. Some people have Leptin resistances or Leptin defficiency which leads to increased food intake and decreased use of stored energy.
Leptin is a 16 kDa protein hormone that plays a key role in regulating energy intake and energy expenditure, including the regulation of appetite and metabolism.

The effects of leptin were observed by studying mutant obese mice that arose at random within a mouse colony at the Jackson Laboratory in 1950. These mice were massively obese and hyperphagic. Leptin itself was discovered in 1994 by Jeffrey M. Friedman and team at the Rockefeller University through the study of those mutant mice. The Ob(Lep) gene (Ob for obese and Lep for leptin) is located on chromosome 7 in humans. Leptin is produced by adipose tissue and interacts with six types of receptor (LepRa–LepRf). LepRb is the only receptor isoform that contains active intracellular signaling domains. This receptor is present in a number of hypothalamic nuclei, where it exerts its effects. Importantly, leptin binds to the Ventral Medial nucleus of the hypothalamus, known as the "satiety center." Binding of leptin to this nucleus signals to the brain that the body has had enough to eat -- a sensation of satiety. A very small group of humans, mostly arising from inbred populations, are also mutant for the leptin gene. These people eat nearly constantly, and may be more than 100 pounds (45 kg) overweight by the age of 7.

You can watch Dr. Friedmen explain his findings in detail here

Additionally peroxisome proliferator-activated receptors (PPARs) regulate metabolics and can also contribute to obesity. PPAR-delta when injected into morbidly obese rats revs up their metabolism and they lose approximately 30% of their weight.
Hereditary disorders of all PPARs have been described, generally leading to a loss in function and concomitant lipodystrophy, insulin resistance and/or acanthosis nigricans. Of PPARγ, a gain-of-function mutation has been described and studied (Pro12Ala) which decreased the risk of insulin resistance; it is quite prevalent (allele frequency 0.03 - 0.12 in some populations). In contrast, pro115gln is associated with obesity. Some other polymorphisms have high incidence in populations with elevated body mass indexes.

These traits are caused by mutant recessive genese, which means that typically both parents would need to pass down the mutant gene. Thus why it's typical in inbred children.

Sheds some light on those "disgusting fat f**kers" doesn't it?
I necessarily have the passion for writing this, and you have the passion for condemning me; both of us are equally fools, equally the toys of destiny. Your nature is to do harm, mine is to love truth, and to make it public in spite of you. - Voltaire
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Comments

  • DOSWDOSW Posts: 2,014
    It's always been known that uncontrollable factors can aid in obesity. I don't see what the news is.
    It's a town full of losers and I'm pulling out of here to win
  • AhnimusAhnimus Posts: 10,560
    DOSW wrote:
    It's always been known that uncontrollable factors can aid in obesity. I don't see what the news is.

    It's known by those that have had the opportunity to know it.

    There is a drug in testing to administer PPAR-delta, that's relatively new.

    This research involving Leptin and PPAR-delta is from 2005. This research is less than 2 years old. I would be extremely suprised if everyone already knew this. They may have had an idea that genetics contributes, such as the body types Exomorph, Endomorph and Mesomorph, but this is referring to people that are morbidly obese, not people with those catagorical metabolisms.
    I necessarily have the passion for writing this, and you have the passion for condemning me; both of us are equally fools, equally the toys of destiny. Your nature is to do harm, mine is to love truth, and to make it public in spite of you. - Voltaire
  • Whether its biological, or environmental, if you can get that big and look at yourself in the mirror and not seek help, you won't get my sympathy either.
  • gue_bariumgue_barium Posts: 5,515
    I'm having sex with a rather ...um, she's taller, and heavier than i am. and she's a good lay. i don't know if this helps anyone. maybe it does.

    all posts by ©gue_barium are protected under US copyright law and are not to be reproduced, exchanged or sold
    except by express written permission of ©gue_barium, the author.
  • gue_barium wrote:
    I'm having sex with a rather ...um, she's taller, and heavier than i am. and she's a good lay. i don't know if this helps anyone. maybe it does.

    LOL
    'We're learning songs for baby Jesus' birthday. His mum and dad were Merry and Joseph. He had a bed made of clay and the three kings bought him Gold, Frankenstein and Merv as presents.'

    - the great Sir Leo Harrison
  • ByrnzieByrnzie Posts: 21,037
    gue_barium wrote:
    I'm having sex with a rather ...um, she's taller, and heavier than i am. and she's a good lay. i don't know if this helps anyone. maybe it does.

    Got any footage? :p
  • AhnimusAhnimus Posts: 10,560
    Whether its biological, or environmental, if you can get that big and look at yourself in the mirror and not seek help, you won't get my sympathy either.

    Really? You aren't a very sympathetic person, are you?
    I necessarily have the passion for writing this, and you have the passion for condemning me; both of us are equally fools, equally the toys of destiny. Your nature is to do harm, mine is to love truth, and to make it public in spite of you. - Voltaire
  • gue_barium wrote:
    I'm having sex with a rather ...um, she's taller, and heavier than i am. and she's a good lay. i don't know if this helps anyone. maybe it does.

    Maybe she had a sex change?
    The less you know, the more you believe.
  • Whether its biological, or environmental, if you can get that big and look at yourself in the mirror and not seek help, you won't get my sympathy either.

    I agree. It should not be acceptable to be fat. OK under some circumstances- not that is a rather short list. I think it's an epidemic.
    The less you know, the more you believe.
  • Whether its biological, or environmental, if you can get that big and look at yourself in the mirror and not seek help, you won't get my sympathy either.
    What about people that seek help and it just does not....help??
    I think people with weight problems(that have a problem with it themselfs)deserve sympathy...they struggle and a lot of them have wil power enough...it is their body that is not working along with that will power.
    I have some friends that are overweight...i see what it costs them to loose and keep weight of.I have the opposit problem...i can eat all i want and not gain anything...you know howe many times people think i have a eating dissorder??Way to often i can tell you that.You would probably say so too....but from what i qouted you on i think not many people are waiting for your sympathy....sympathy only matters when it is given (or hurt's when not given) by a non shallow person....
  • know1know1 Posts: 6,794
    I don't believe it. Genetics may play a small factor, but if you don't eat, you won't get fat.
    The only people we should try to get even with...
    ...are those who've helped us.

    Right 'round the corner could be bigger than ourselves.
  • cornnifercornnifer Posts: 2,130
    There may in fact be some uncontrollable biological factors to obesity. There is absolutely no denying, though, that our out of control, lazy, fast food culture is the number one cause of morbid obesity. We eat huge amounts of unhealthy food, and refuse to get off our fat asses. Then, when we wake up one morning and realize just how fat we are, we want a quick remedy to the problem and we seek out the latest, trendy diet craze. None of these diet crazes emphasize excercise! That is ridiculous. Burn more than you take in, and you will lose weight. Its very, very, simple.
    "When all your friends and sedatives mean well but make it worse... better find yourself a place to level out."
  • soulsingingsoulsinging Posts: 13,202
    cornnifer wrote:
    There may in fact be some uncontrollable biological factors to obesity. There is absolutely no denying, though, that our out of control, lazy, fast food culture is the number one cause of morbid obesity. We eat huge amounts of unhealthy food, and refuse to get off our fat asses. Then, when we wake up one morning and realize just how fat we are, we want a quick remedy to the problem and we seek out the latest, trendy diet craze. None of these diet crazes emphasize excercise! That is ridiculous. Burn more than you take in, and you will lose weight. Its very, very, simple.

    spot on and exactly what i was thinking.
  • NMyTreeNMyTree Posts: 2,374
    cornnifer wrote:
    There may in fact be some uncontrollable biological factors to obesity.


    Most certainly there are. There's no question that there are specific biological conditions which contribute to an individual bloating up or gaining a larger amount of weight.

    We also can't discount the psychological and emotional factors which in many individuals contributes to their over-eating and in their complete disregard and concern for their own health.

    cornnifer wrote:
    There is absolutely no denying, though, that our out of control, lazy, fast food culture is the number one cause of morbid obesity. We eat huge amounts of unhealthy food, and refuse to get off our fat asses. Then, when we wake up one morning and realize just how fat we are, we want a quick remedy to the problem and we seek out the latest, trendy diet craze. None of these diet crazes emphasize excercise! That is ridiculous. Burn more than you take in, and you will lose weight. Its very, very, simple..

    I also believe this is very accurate. I also believe a good portion of over-weight or obese people fit right into the above description.

    I believe it comes down to each individual. Every single person's situation is unique to themselves. You can't say any of this applies to all obese people.

    I certainly have first hand experience ( my two close, over-weight friends) with people who simply consume an outrageous amount of bad food, are lazy and idle when it comes to excercise.
    cornnifer wrote:
    None of these diet crazes emphasize excercise! That is ridiculous. Burn more than you take in, and you will lose weight. Its very, very, simple..

    Absolutely! It's sadly absurd how excercise is routinely and consistently ignored and excluded by those who "want to" lose weight and those selling easy solutions for losing weight.

    The truth is, to lose weight in a healthy and efficient manner one has to increase activity (that means get your fat ass off the couch and shut off the television), severely reduce one's intake of saturated fats and bad carbs; while increasing good protein, poly and monounsaturated fats (and omega oils), veggies and fruits (organic preferably) and healthy grain.

    Raising/increasing one's metabolism is essential to the body's ability to efficiently absorb, utilize and burn essential vitamins, minerals, elements and healthy fats.

    Also, excluding and eliminating all hydronated vegetable oils (trans fats) from one's diet would be a great first step. That stuff is poison to the body. It clogs arteries, is extremely difficult for the body to burn off and it hangs around in your body as bad, unhealthy fat ........for a very long time.

    The human body can't get rid of it.
  • angelicaangelica Posts: 6,038
    It looks like the dynamics involved in eating disorders are not acknowledged much less understood by many. If anyone out there is a workaholic, has substance abuse issues (with drink/smoke/other), including sugar or caffeine addictions, is a rageaholic, shopaholic, and so on (detailing all manner of "acceptable" disorders in our society) I'd be wary of casting stones.

    It also looks like the environmental contributing factors to eating disorders are also not being taken into consideration a whole lot in the main of things.

    This doesn't surprise me.

    What nauseates me is the "justified" social bias and ignorant judgments that are accepted in this day and age against those with eating disorders.
    "The opposite of a fact is falsehood, but the opposite of one profound truth may very well be another profound truth." ~ Niels Bohr

    http://www.myspace.com/illuminatta

    Rhinocerous Surprise '08!!!
  • angelica wrote:
    It looks like the dynamics involved in eating disorders are not acknowledged much less understood by many. If anyone out there is a workaholic, has substance abuse issues (with drink/smoke/other), including sugar or caffeine addictions, is a rageaholic, shopaholic, and so on (detailing all manner of "acceptable" disorders in our society) I'd be wary of casting stones.

    It also looks like the environmental contributing factors to eating disorders are also not being taken into consideration a whole lot in the main of things.

    This doesn't surprise me.

    What nauseates me is the "justified" social bias and ignorant judgments that are accepted in this day and age against those with eating disorders.

    The rest of the developed world does not produce the same size kids we have trotting around here. I dont think they all have special circumstances to blame for their obesity.
    The less you know, the more you believe.
  • angelicaangelica Posts: 6,038
    Jammin909 wrote:
    The rest of the developed world does not produce the same size kids we have trotting around here. I dont think they all have special circumstances to blame for their obesity.

    Is this assertion an informed opinion, or opinion only? Do you know what the dynamics of eating disorders are? Do you know how they tie in with North America or elsewhere or are you merely sharing a guess or subjective observation?
    "The opposite of a fact is falsehood, but the opposite of one profound truth may very well be another profound truth." ~ Niels Bohr

    http://www.myspace.com/illuminatta

    Rhinocerous Surprise '08!!!
  • angelica wrote:
    Is this assertion an informed opinion, or opinion only? Do you know what the dynamics of eating disorders are? Do you know how they tie in with North America or elsewhere or are you merely sharing a guess or subjective observation?

    I am not familiar with the dynamics of eating disorders. However, I am well aware that some people have problems/illnesses that effect their weight. I just have a hard time believing that a majority of the fat people walking around have these problems that are out of their control (and at such a higher percentage than our European counterparts).

    My "American kids are overweight and out of shape" comment is based only on what I see with my own two eyes. Objective observation.
    The less you know, the more you believe.
  • redrockredrock Posts: 18,341
    cornnifer wrote:
    There may in fact be some uncontrollable biological factors to obesity. There is absolutely no denying, though, that our out of control, lazy, fast food culture is the number one cause of morbid obesity. We eat huge amounts of unhealthy food, and refuse to get off our fat asses. Then, when we wake up one morning and realize just how fat we are, we want a quick remedy to the problem and we seek out the latest, trendy diet craze. None of these diet crazes emphasize excercise! That is ridiculous. Burn more than you take in, and you will lose weight. Its very, very, simple.


    I agree with you there. Though I do believe that there are a number of obese people that do have a genetic disorder and, of course, there are those that have an eating disorder (psychological), it is true that in this society poor diet and poor eating habits contribute greatly to overweight children and adults.

    I think it is a well know fact that the US lead the way with adult and child obesity. Unfortunately, Europe is starting to follow this trend but it would seem that in Europe the issue is tackled more seriously.
  • angelicaangelica Posts: 6,038
    Jammin909 wrote:
    I am not familiar with the dynamics of eating disorders. However, I am well aware that some people have problems/illnesses that effect their weight. I just have a hard time believing that a majority of the fat people walking around have these problems that are out of their control (and at such a higher percentage than our European counterparts).

    My "American kids are overweight and out of shape" comment is based only on what I see with my own two eyes. Objective observation.

    Thanks for clarifying.

    My problem is with our judgments and our biased assumptions about these issues. Science, awareness and knowledge is about learning and understanding. You will not catch a responsible scientist whether geneticist, social scientist or a psychologicalist or what-have-you using emotionally charged words such as "lazy" in explaining what is known about these topics. Moral judgements such as "lazy", "wrong", "bad", etc. are about the biased emotional state of the person making such an assessment--it's about their emotional history, rather than being about knowledge and understanding of the subject matter. I don't think you personally made such judgment. However, if a person is operating in a non-healthy, imbalanced way, to "judge" them instead of seeking to understand cause and effect, is again about person bias and moral judgment.

    I'm very familiar with the dynamics of compulsions, considering I've not only had but I've learned to overcome obsessive-compulsive disorder and all levels of the eating disorders: anorexic behaviour, bulemic behaviour and compulsive over-eating. There are very specific psychological reasons that cause such "defense mechanisms" to kick into action. The human system is immensely intelligent.
    "The opposite of a fact is falsehood, but the opposite of one profound truth may very well be another profound truth." ~ Niels Bohr

    http://www.myspace.com/illuminatta

    Rhinocerous Surprise '08!!!
  • josevolutionjosevolution Posts: 30,138
    gue_barium wrote:
    I'm having sex with a rather ...um, she's taller, and heavier than i am. and she's a good lay. i don't know if this helps anyone. maybe it does.
    as you writte ?
    jesus greets me looks just like me ....
  • AhnimusAhnimus Posts: 10,560
    There were morbidly obese people 5,000 years ago before we had big macs.

    It's a biological problem with their metabolism.

    Also has anyone here tried to lift their 700 lbs body off the couch to do a marathon? I didn't think so.
    I necessarily have the passion for writing this, and you have the passion for condemning me; both of us are equally fools, equally the toys of destiny. Your nature is to do harm, mine is to love truth, and to make it public in spite of you. - Voltaire
  • AhnimusAhnimus Posts: 10,560
    Alssister
    01-24-2005
    08:09 PM EST

    "My brother-in-law was diagnosed with stomach cancer May 2004. Had very large tumor, nodes and 3/4's of his stomach removed in July. He weighted 250 lbs and now weights 128lbs."

    Cancer Survivors Network
    http://www.acscsn.org/Forum/Discussion/thread/view?msgid=72292&msgrid=32

    This is just one example, the story I originally heard was a man with a 250 lbs tumor in his stomach, and he thought he was just getting fat.
    I necessarily have the passion for writing this, and you have the passion for condemning me; both of us are equally fools, equally the toys of destiny. Your nature is to do harm, mine is to love truth, and to make it public in spite of you. - Voltaire
  • AhnimusAhnimus Posts: 10,560
    "Persons with obesity are frequently the victims of discrimination. Obesity is often described as the last 'acceptable' form of discrimination based on physical appearances. "

    http://www.obesity.org/discrimination/employment.shtml
    I necessarily have the passion for writing this, and you have the passion for condemning me; both of us are equally fools, equally the toys of destiny. Your nature is to do harm, mine is to love truth, and to make it public in spite of you. - Voltaire
  • cornnifercornnifer Posts: 2,130
    Ahnimus wrote:
    There were morbidly obese people 5,000 years ago before we had big macs.

    It's a biological problem with their metabolism.

    Also has anyone here tried to lift their 700 lbs body off the couch to do a marathon? I didn't think so.

    Uh,... yeah. "Gee, I don't know what happened. I went to sleep last night a svelte 150 with a swimmer's physique, and woke up this morning 700 lbs! Now I can't get up!"

    Killin me, Smalls.
    "When all your friends and sedatives mean well but make it worse... better find yourself a place to level out."
  • AhnimusAhnimus Posts: 10,560
    cornnifer wrote:
    Uh,... yeah. "Gee, I don't know what happened. I went to sleep last night a svelte 150 with a swimmer's physique, and woke up this morning 700 lbs! Now I can't get up!"

    Killin me, Smalls.

    I adequately detect sarcasm, but what's your point?
    I necessarily have the passion for writing this, and you have the passion for condemning me; both of us are equally fools, equally the toys of destiny. Your nature is to do harm, mine is to love truth, and to make it public in spite of you. - Voltaire
  • cornnifercornnifer Posts: 2,130
    Ahnimus wrote:
    I adequately detect sarcasm, but what's your point?

    You asked if anyone has ever tried to "get their 700 lb body up off the couch and excercise" or something like that. Point is a 700 lb individual should have taken interventions a loooong time ago. It takes a little time to reach 700. Doesn't happen overnight.
    "When all your friends and sedatives mean well but make it worse... better find yourself a place to level out."
  • AhnimusAhnimus Posts: 10,560
    cornnifer wrote:
    You asked if anyone has ever tried to "get their 700 lb body up off the couch and excercise" or something like that. Point is a 700 lb individual should have taken interventions a loooong time ago. It takes a little time to reach 700. Doesn't happen overnight.

    That is true. What do you make of this, some parents use food, especially sweets and fatty foods as rewards for children. This reinforces their actions but sets the stage for food as a reward. This can be troublesome later on in life. The higher cognitive functions of the brain do not fully develop until adolescence, but by this time a child could be 250 lbs. Considering the physiological changes that happen when a person becomes obese and the psychological food-as-reward problem, it would be extremely difficult for an obese teenager to change their habits and it's likely to spill into adulthood. Adults who have developed brains and habitual thought processes will have an even harder time changing. The difficulty in moving around with excess weight is just one deterant, but a very significant one.

    We see this all the time, kids are brought up to eat very unhealthy foods and obesity is a growing problem. The physiological, psychological and sociological influences on weight makes it extremely difficult for a person to become fit. I think social discrimination doesn't serve these people to motivate them to exercise. I think the effect of social discrimination is isolation, anti-social behaviour and resentment towards society. Perhaps the best motivators are the health implications of obesity, but that requires a healthy psyche which is difficult to obtain in the face of social rejection.

    I'm familiar with two psychological traits of obese people. One is the anti-social, isolation type. A person stays at home on their couch repeating the same habits over and over as opposed to getting out and facing the ridicule, rejection and discrimination of society. The other type does get out but has come to terms with their body and also still resents society. These types of people make no consideration for other people. They will constantly bump into people, forcing them out of the way, block passage with no consideration for others. Probably because of the social prejudice they've experienced most of their lives.

    Motive is a difficult thing to understand, why does a person kill? Why does a person over-eat? Why does a person drink beer, act stupid, get in bar fights and pick up hookers? Many times, these motives correlate to social influences.
    I necessarily have the passion for writing this, and you have the passion for condemning me; both of us are equally fools, equally the toys of destiny. Your nature is to do harm, mine is to love truth, and to make it public in spite of you. - Voltaire
  • cornnifer wrote:
    You asked if anyone has ever tried to "get their 700 lb body up off the couch and excercise" or something like that. Point is a 700 lb individual should have taken interventions a loooong time ago. It takes a little time to reach 700. Doesn't happen overnight.

    Someone who gets up to 700 does in fact have genetic issues. Weight, and more importantly your metabolism, is linked to genetics. There are extremes. You are right that that 700 lb. person should have taken measures earlier, but even with measures that person, most likely, could never weigh less than 250--and what is worse, rarely do these people make that attempt. Unfortunately, the real problem is that this gene is being passed on at an alarming rate due to medicines that essentially allow these people to continue as they are and not pay the natural price for these behaviors. Further, heavy individuals usually partner with heavy people, basically because neither holds weight against the other. Guess the genetic make up of the children. Let's just say they won't be svelt.
  • cornnifercornnifer Posts: 2,130
    Someone who gets up to 700 does in fact have genetic issues. Weight, and more importantly your metabolism, is linked to genetics. There are extremes. You are right that that 700 lb. person should have taken measures earlier, but even with measures that person, most likely, could never weigh less than 250--and what is worse, rarely do these people make that attempt. Unfortunately, the real problem is that this gene is being passed on at an alarming rate due to medicines that essentially allow these people to continue as they are and not pay the natural price for these behaviors. Further, heavy individuals usually partner with heavy people, basically because neither holds weight against the other. Guess the genetic make up of the children. Let's just say they won't be svelt.

    Huge difference between 250 and 700.
    "When all your friends and sedatives mean well but make it worse... better find yourself a place to level out."
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