??How Can a CHILD Be Obese??

In the past few decades, childhood obesity has become a major concern. There has been billions thrown into research and projects documenting childhood obesity, as well as adult obesity. Films like Supersize Me  have shown this increasing concern.

A large argument within this documentary was whether the problem occurred as a result of negligence on the part of the consumer or McDonald's. A judge found that if the prosecution could prove that the company intended its customers to eat McDonald's every day for every meal and the products were in fact harmful to health then McDonald's would be at fault. Throughout the course of the documentary Morgan showed that beyond a shadow of a doubt McDonald's was harmful to his health. His doctors would not even allow him to finish his 30 day Mickey D's diet because it was destroying his liver.

But this issue brings to light another portion of the question. What causes obesity? Some allege that it is entirely a product of the environment they grow up in, while others report that it is entirely a product of genetic inheritance. Often times, people who don't want to admit that they are responsible for obesity say that it is entirely genetic inheritance, while those seeing others around them as lazy blame it on the situation. The problem with these extremes is that neither is entirely correct. Recent research has shown that obesity, and several other genetically inherited traits are caused by a combination of the environment and genetic inheritance called the epigenetics.

This theory purports that a person inherits their traits from both their father and mother, however, the expression of the genes inherited is determined partially by the surrounding environment. DNA is tightly wound around histone proteins which inhibit genetic expression. Pressures from the environment can cause more histone proteins to become tangled in the DNA or some of the histones to be released. This is where the theories of genetics v. how you grew up clash. There are also other factors like diet and exercise that influence obesity that can also be significant. A person may have a genetic predisposition for obesity from their family, however this is no way means that they are obese. If they eat healthily and exercise frequently they have a better chance of remaining at a healthy weight. Their DNA may be pressured into wrapping around histones suppressing the proteins that may cause obesity. By the same token, if a person whose is not genetically predisposed to obesity eats food with high fat contents frequently and does not exercise, proteins that prevent obesity may be suppressed, and it is highly likely that they will become obese.

Although obesity is not simply a factor of eating and exercise habits or the epigenome, people are not entirely blameless for obesity. They can still be incredibly healthy even if they are predisposed for obesity, they must practice extra self control. The diseases caused by obesity should only encourage everyone to exercise and eat healthily.

So what are you doing sitting on your computer?? Get outside and EXERCISE!!!