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Now you CATCH obesity ...spreading fat cells are linked to a virus
dailymail.co.uk ^ | 01/25/08 | Fiona Macrae

Posted on 01/25/2009 5:04:14 PM PST by TornadoAlley3

Contagious? A scientist will claim obesity is linked to a virus that causes colds

Obesity can be 'caught' from another individual in the same way as a cold, scientists suggest.

The condition has been linked to a highly-infectious virus which causes sniffles and sore throats.

Spread by dirty hands, the adenovirus apparently attacks tissue and causes fat cells to multiply - leading to massive weight gain.

Previous studies have shown that chickens and mice infected with the bug put on weight more quickly than uninfected animals - even when they do not eat more.

Now human studies show that almost a third of obese adults carry the virus compared with 11 per cent of lean men and women.

Professor Nikhil Dhurandhar, who led the research, said the bug continues to add weight gain long after those infected recover from their cough or cold. He told BBC2's Horizon programme, to be shown at 9pm tonight: 'This virus goes to the lungs and spreads through the body.

'It goes to various organs and tissues such as the liver, kidney, brain and fat tissue.

'When this virus goes to fat tissue it replicates, making more copies of itself and in the process increases the number of new fat cells, which may explain why the fat tissue expands and why people get fat when they are infected with this virus.'

The professor, from Pennington Biomedical Research Centre in Louisiana, said victims could remain infectious for up to three months. 'But people could be fat for reasons other than viral infections so it's really pointless to try to avoid fat people to avoid infection,' he said.

(Excerpt) Read more at dailymail.co.uk ...


TOPICS: Culture/Society; Government; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: adenovirus; obesity; virus
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Comment #21 Removed by Moderator

To: Valpal1
Its true, I'm not a farmer, but didn't just pull this out of my butt--there is lots of documentation to back this up on this. Use of natural and growth hormones to boost livestock size has been going on for at least 40 years. Link

Just because YOU don't do it, doesn't mean it isn't happening.

22 posted on 01/25/2009 5:50:14 PM PST by rbg81 (DRAIN THE SWAMP!!)
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To: TornadoAlley3

So, now I can tell lard asses to stay away from me with their second-hand fat?


23 posted on 01/25/2009 5:56:33 PM PST by Not now, Not ever! (The devil made me do it!,.......................................................( well, not really.)
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To: rbg81

It probably has more to do with the livestock that children devour. For most people, particularly children, one 3 oz serving of meat is enough for a day, and they probably shouldn’t do that every day. But now we have kids who eat meat at breakfast, lunch and dinner, and often more than 3 oz each meal.

And, ps, who ever thinks cheese sticks are a healthy snack? Why were those even invented?


24 posted on 01/25/2009 7:01:54 PM PST by speekinout
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To: arealconservativeforachange
Hey, it’s not a Thyroid problem or overeating. How cool.

It is even better than cool. Now I can claim victim status and get...no...demand Federal dollars for my disability. I will start on that first thing in the morning. Right now can I ask a you a favor. Will you pass me that last donut?

25 posted on 01/25/2009 7:35:00 PM PST by mort56
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To: rbg81
Well let's just take a look at one of the items mentioned by your lobbyist site.

Zeranol is a synthetic non-steroidal estrogenic growth promoter. It is an anabolic agent which is an estrogenic derivative of naturally occurring zearalenone. Zearalenone occurs in corn, barley, wheat hay, and oats. Zeranol improves the rate of weight gain and feed efficiency in food animals following implantation. Presently marketed products consist of small pellets each containing 12 mg zeranol. These pellets, three (Ralgro) or six (Ralgro Magnum) are implanted subcutaneously into the ears of cattle.

The same stuff can be found in beer, bread and breakfast cereal, it ain't just the calories that make you fat. Feeding cattle on grain is natural, but giving an implant to cattle on marginal range is not. As for hormone implants, it should be remembered that steers are castrated, the replacement implants contain less of what they would in fact produce naturally.

Finally, here's a great student paper outlining the dispute which is really about market competition and protectionism.

http://www.adamheckler.com/2008/12/the-us-eu-beef-hormone-dispute/

26 posted on 01/25/2009 7:53:02 PM PST by Valpal1 (Always be prepared to make that difference.)
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To: null and void

Ping to #6.


27 posted on 01/25/2009 7:55:51 PM PST by Grizzled Bear ("Does not play well with others.")
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To: rbg81

I’ve heard that high fructose corn syrup is one ubiquitous ingredient that is contributing to obesity. It’s hard to find any sodas, fruit drinks, or anything else that doesn’t contain this obnoxious substance.


28 posted on 01/25/2009 8:07:36 PM PST by giotto
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