Can someone be obese without overeating?

Discussion in 'Health and Fitness' started by CrowZer0, May 12, 2016.

  1. Ero-Sennin

    Ero-Sennin Well-Known Member Supporter

    Definitely wasn't saying you were slow! It just seems like we are disagreeing with each other from our rhetoric, but I don't disagree with anything you're saying. It's kinda' weird.



    For me to feel more confident in the studies I think I would need to see a couple repeats, know exactly what they were fed, and see a detailed log of their activity levels and medical history. There are just so many factors involved with weight gain it's ridiculous. I definitely agree that much of it is possibly an ecological factor, but I don't think I agree that it is a death sentence dooming somebody to a life of obesity if they decided they wanted to change.

    Funny story, sometimes I'll ask people if we discovered aliens if we should try to befriend them or conquer/annihilate them. I think the latter would be a better move.

    Unite the human race with a common threat, and create the Human Empire. The universe is ours! >: O
     
  2. philosoraptor

    philosoraptor carnivore in a top hat Supporter

    I guess my confidence in the studies is because they seem like separate lines of evidence all pointing to the same thing - whether it's prisoners, baboons, wild bears, pet dogs, college students, identical twins or adopted children we see a similar response. I'm having trouble accessing the methodology from behind a paywall, but will try to find some that control for activity levels, history and diet; regardless we don't see much variance when we can assume that these things do vary. There's certainly no reason to assume that adopted children would have activity levels and dietary habits similar to their biological parents unless that is also a facet of this disease. I don't think that obese people are doomed to a constantly high weight, but it looks like they will have to eat fewer calories than someone else of equivalent weight. I'm also not sure if their body ever 'gets used to' the new diet and they don't wind up suffering the psychological effects of caloric deprivation.

    See, I don't think humanity would ever unite - and if every single colony we create also has planet ending technology (any fast ship will also be a planet bomb), how long before Hitler is put in charge of one?
     
  3. CrowZer0

    CrowZer0 Assume formlessness.

     
  4. raaeoh

    raaeoh never tell me the odds

    I have an obese freind. His brother is not, 3 of his kids are not. Two of his kids are. They all live the same lifestyle, and eat the exact same foods they are very active. They even run 5ks. In around 23 min.

    Now My Family. My oldest at 5 had a six pack.did pull ups every day ran and lifted age apropriate weights he ate like a mad man. Now at 8 he has a bit of a gut and still fairly although not as active .
    My daughter will eat nonstop, but no where near as active. She is ideal weight for her age. My youngest is about as lazy as can be eats.more than i do but has a six pack.
    My wife and I work hard in our 40s to keep the Weight in check

    My brother can not gain weight no matter what he eats.

    Genetics, age, location, diet, and sometimes just pure luck all play a role.
     
    Last edited: May 17, 2016
  5. David Harrison

    David Harrison MAPper without portfolio

    I don't know about the genetics, but I do know that people are really good at editing their memory.

    Ever since my chronic gut disease, I have to watch out for under-eating. I just don't feel hunger like most people. Because I have to think about it, I remember what I've had in a day (also because it is usually very little compared to most people in developed nations), so I am quite aware of the amount of times I hear someone say "I've had nothing today", or "I've only had toast" or whatever, when I've seen them drink sugary drinks, eat sweets and biscuits, sometimes have a sandwich the size of one of my main meals, and then totally forget about it shortly after because they are hungry and it doesn't fit their internal narrative (which is usually "I eat the same as skinny people but I just can't lose weight").

    This is not an argument against the possibility of genetics that make someone fatter than their calorific intake would someone else, as I'm not qualified to say. Just that if you really want to know what someone's calorific intake is, you have to be watching them 24/7, because we are sneaky opportunist omnivores, much like racoons or rats, except we are so sneaky we can even out-sneak ourselves.
     
  6. Smitfire

    Smitfire Cactus Schlong

    Any time they follow people around for those "you are what you eat" diet type shows with secret cameras people routinely eat more than they realise and more than they will admit to.
    Quick stop in gregg's for a pasty, someone offers doughnuts round at work, few sweeties in the car, couple of sugary cups of tea, packet of crisps while getting dinner for the kids, pop a couple of nuggets left over from the kids meal when they tidy up and then a couple of glasses of wine and someone can think they haven't really eaten all day.
     
  7. bigreddog

    bigreddog Valued Member

    http://www.shiftn.com/obesity/Full-Map.html

    This is pretty good map of the things that influence obesity. Although I'm sure you could argue about some of them, I think it makes the case that the causes of obesity are multifaceted, and the solutions probably are more complex than 'willpower' or 'eat less'.

    Very few obese people aren't aware they are obese, or that being slim would be better, or that eating less and moving more (or any variation on that theme) wouldn't be a good idea. But the consistent struggle is very hard, and anybody who hasn't struggled to take off a significant amount of weight, should think very carefully about whether they are helping or hindering when they intervene.
     
  8. David Harrison

    David Harrison MAPper without portfolio

    Even worse is someone who was previously obese thinking that the exact same factors that affect them apply to all obese people.
     

Share This Page