Tuesday, September 21, 2010

Here is Something to Chew on: Western surge in obesity may have been caused by a virus


The Independent

"The obesity explosion that has swept the Western world over the past 30 years may have been caused by a virus, scientists have said.....

Now scientists at the University of California, San Diego, have found that children who showed evidence of infection with adenovirus 36 were more likely to be fat. In tests on 124 children aged eight to 18, the virus was present in more than 20 per cent of those who were obese, compared with less than 6 per cent of the rest. Among those infected with adenovirus 36, four out of five were obese....

Laboratory studies showed the virus infects immature fat cells, prompting them to proliferate and grow more quickly. Professor Schwimmer said: "This might be the mechanism for obesity but more work needs to be done."...."

Go ahead now and gulp that Twinkie or cream-filled donut with no guilt. It is the virus' fault!

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