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Wynter: There's hope for the overweight
Lionel Wynter, Health & Fitness
Issue date: 10/31/06 Section: Life & Leisure
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Although excess weight and obesity are nothing to be happy or proud about, they are nothing to be depressed or suicidal about, either. Overweight or obese people need to be aware of certain factors that contribute to their uncomfortable situations and what could be done to arrive at a comfort level.
Firstly, for many people, excess weight is in their genes. This does not mean that if one or both of our parents are overweight, we will automatically be overweight as well. What we are likely to copy is the behavior patterns of our parents who might have exhibited unhealthy eating habits.
For example, if overweight parents give up their newborn for adoption and the baby becomes a part of a family that has no weight problems, the child will eat as conservatively as this new family and is unlikely to develop the magnitude of weight problems that its his/her parents are contending with.
The truth is, however, that unhealthy eating habits cannot by itself qualify as genetic transfer. It is greatly assisted by certain genes in our bodies stimulating overeating by speeding up the production of a chemical messenger in the body called gamma-amino butyric acid (GABA). When combined with other molecules, GABA stimulates the subject to eat. What we inherit from our parents is a combination of these genes, coupled with the tendencies to respond to the urge to eat in excessive quantities.
Since these genes will always be active, it is important to not act on the impulses to eat constantly and eat enough that is healthy.
But what is healthy? Well, for starters, most snacks have ingredients that encourage obesity. Obesity is almost certain to result from a poor diet that comprises high calorie foods that are easily accessible, low in cost, heavily promoted and good-tasting (it might sound like I am making reference to the snack stands at R-N, but you be the judge).
What happens is that the ingredients which constitute these snacks produce a predictable, understandable and inevitable consequence: an epidemic of diet-related diseases. While such foods are fast and convenient, they also tend to be high in fat, sugar and calories. In many cases, these foods are advertised and marketed as healthy, low-fat or fat-free, but in many cases they contain more calories than the fat-containing food they are supposed to replace. We need to start reading our food labels to get nutritional information on that which we so hastily consume.
Firstly, for many people, excess weight is in their genes. This does not mean that if one or both of our parents are overweight, we will automatically be overweight as well. What we are likely to copy is the behavior patterns of our parents who might have exhibited unhealthy eating habits.
For example, if overweight parents give up their newborn for adoption and the baby becomes a part of a family that has no weight problems, the child will eat as conservatively as this new family and is unlikely to develop the magnitude of weight problems that its his/her parents are contending with.
The truth is, however, that unhealthy eating habits cannot by itself qualify as genetic transfer. It is greatly assisted by certain genes in our bodies stimulating overeating by speeding up the production of a chemical messenger in the body called gamma-amino butyric acid (GABA). When combined with other molecules, GABA stimulates the subject to eat. What we inherit from our parents is a combination of these genes, coupled with the tendencies to respond to the urge to eat in excessive quantities.
Since these genes will always be active, it is important to not act on the impulses to eat constantly and eat enough that is healthy.
But what is healthy? Well, for starters, most snacks have ingredients that encourage obesity. Obesity is almost certain to result from a poor diet that comprises high calorie foods that are easily accessible, low in cost, heavily promoted and good-tasting (it might sound like I am making reference to the snack stands at R-N, but you be the judge).
What happens is that the ingredients which constitute these snacks produce a predictable, understandable and inevitable consequence: an epidemic of diet-related diseases. While such foods are fast and convenient, they also tend to be high in fat, sugar and calories. In many cases, these foods are advertised and marketed as healthy, low-fat or fat-free, but in many cases they contain more calories than the fat-containing food they are supposed to replace. We need to start reading our food labels to get nutritional information on that which we so hastily consume.
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