billh

interesting review in Runners World of studies that explore the idea that exposure to chemicals in childhood is a risk factor for obesity later in life. I also wonder about cumulative low level exposure throughout life that finally takes its toll later in life. I mean, think about all the chemicals we've been exposed to throughout life . . . food additives, household pesticides, water system pipes, teflon cooking pans, BPA bottles, lead paint. study any one exposure on its own for six weeks and it's easy to argue the exposure is low and no adverse outcomes . . . what about 60 year trials? with ALL types of exposures cumulated? no one's done that study. it's likely impossible. and then there's bee colony collapse syndrome. mysterious, unsolved. there's a hypothesis that long term low level exposure is killing these bee colonies. what if we are going the way of the bees. anyway, the article . . .

https://www.runnersworld.com/weight-l...making-you-fat

codyhmrck

I try to stay away from these types of things. I'm fat because i'm lazy and I eat horribly. I can't take responsibility for that if I'm blaming it on be exposed to chemicals when I was younger. I'm owning up to my own faults and mistakes and trying my hardest to fix what I let go out of control by cycling and eating healthy.

TrojanHorse

It is true! It is somebody else's fault that we are all fat! (I say "we" while giving a raspberry to you skinny buggers who still hang out here. )

Chitown_Mike

I am not fat, I'm dead sexy!!

Actually I totally blame me because, like Einstein I believe said, (paraphrasing) if you blame someone or something else for where you are in life, you need to wait for said thing to get you out. If I blame some chemicals then I need to wait for said chemical company to come out with something new to counteract the original chemical.

Not saying I am sure things like this may play a PART in obesity but no one forced me to eat the McDonald's yesterday.

LabRat2k3

Interesting concept, but it doesn't hold up scientifically. If the chemicals were to blame wouldn't everyone that grew up in the same household be fat since they were both exposed to the same chemicals? My sister is very skinny, but she has always stayed active and watched what she ate. Myself on the other hand; I was a gym rat in high school, worked out all the time, and ate a lot to support lean muscle growth, and had very low body fat, went in the Army ran all the time, worked out all the time, road marched, etc and ate and drank to excess, put on 40 pounds in 3 years but body fat stayed about the same. I got out of the Army and my eating habits didn't change but my activity level dropped of considerably, and I gained 100 pounds in 12 years. I don't think it was the chemicals I was exposed to as a child that made me fat.

Bandera

Early and continued exposure to glazed donuts will make you fat.

DanWho

Another big factor I have been reading about is antibiotics. Some docs have done some kind of study and one factor that many large people have in common is antibiotics. They think that the use of probiotics may help some. I've had two different docs suggest I take some probiotics now. The idea is that some of the healthy microbes in your gut were killed off completely or were changed while on the antibiotics. I've seen some papers and articles on this. I talked to my pharmacist and he recommended getting some from amazon. I have not done it yet.

copswithguns

+1. We have to take responsibility for our own bodies. I'm not gonna say that there isn't a possible link to obesity and genealogy, but I know for myself, it comes from eating McDonald's, pizza, and junk food from the time I could walk. We need to start our children out eating better than we did.

mrodgers

Amen! My wife came home today from grocery shopping with Krispy Kreme pudding filled donuts. Sorry, I can't help myself. Ate just a quick small sandwich for dinner because we had to leave to go to the school tonight, but I also ate a donut. Then before I looked it up, I ate another. At that point I looked it up. 620 calories for those 2 donuts! That's more than my lunch and dinner today!

It would have been fine had I been able to go ride today, I think I still would have been within the limits I've put on myself, but had to do the Jr. High School open house tonight. I wouldn't have been able to ride anyways as I've ridden 5 days straight and I'm not in the shape to do that many days in a row yet. Last night was torture my final 2 miles and I've been suffering all day today with sore legs.

Myosmith

Everyone is looking for an excuse as to why we are fat. This is just the latest and these studies come and go, most will be discredited within a few years. It's hormones, It's genetics, It's the way your mama treated you etc. ad infinitum.

While there may be some genetic predisposition, cultural factors, even environmental influences, the reason that the vast majority of overweight people are fat (myself included) is poor diet, excessive caloric consumption, high calorie-low nutrient density foods, and inadequate exercise to balance the caloric intake and stoke the metabolism. There are a few individuals with legit medical conditions which result in great difficulty controlling obesity, but for the most part, we did it to ourselves.

indyfabz

I'm not fat. I'm chemically enhanced.

mrodgers

Genetics in my unscientific opinion certainly play a part in how we are fat, they just have no part in why we are fat.

2 months ago I was 247 lb at 5'9". I still have muscle definition in my legs and they are still solid as a rock and always have been. Mine is all in the belly, exactly how my grandfather was. Just saw my Aunt's stepson last week. He has to go 325+ just about all of it from the chest down to the toes. He looks and is shaped just like his father and his sister. None of that is why we are fat, just how we carry it.

Randolfo

With the exception of having undiagnosed sleep apnea for years and given medicine for a bunch of things, this is my problem exactly. Bar-be-que, beer, and not enough activity.