Brown fat to fight obesity?

[metalchick]

I was doing some research for a presentation for one of my classes tomorrow. Came across these 2 articles.

Personally I think this is a bullshit way to fight obesity, another magic drug where you don't have to try at all...
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/04/08/AR2009040804290.html?hpid=topnews

How about we fight obesity with education? A better idea I think, but still it needs to start at home.
http://www.torontosun.com/news/canada/2009/04/08/9047861-sun.html


Any thoughts?

[waderow]

fight obesity with parents making their kids actually get their fat asses outside and run and play. lose the play station, and the internet. grab a football or a hockey stick

lose the fast food


so yeah, education is the key

[gordi]

I dunno... I mean, on one hand: I'll take whatever help I can get from science to make it easier, but on the other hand: If there was a way to be in amazing shape without putting a huge amount of effort into it I don't really think I'd be interested.

The reason that being in any kind of shape feels so good to me is that I know I've earned it with my own sweat and willpower. That translates to the self-confidence that lets me put effort into trying new and difficult things. If it was too easy, I wouldn't get that benefit.

[natenator]

education won't stop obesity. People already know what causes it - too many calories and too little exercise (read: none)

stop eating and get your fat lazy ass walking, playing a sport, to the gym or something instead of on your couch stuffing your face and watching TV.

[metalchick]

education won't stop obesity. People already know what causes it - too many calories and too little exercise (read: none)

stop eating and get your fat lazy ass walking, playing a sport, to the gym or something instead of on your couch stuffing your face and watching TV.

how would you suggest making people do that?

[natenator]

how would you suggest making people do that?
I am not sure. How did they do it in the 40's, 50's, 60's and 70's? Was there some big massive educational campaign that cost millions of dollars to promote telling people to eat less and exercise more?

Were people just smarter back then and didn't need to be educated or are we just that stupid this day and age that we need someone to tell us eating mcpukes, chips, drinking sugar drinks, etc on a regular basis (read: daily and often multiple times in a day for thse people) will make them fat?

[waderow]

they didnt have fast food, video games, tv, internets, and shit back then

they also didnt have the stress that we have now


one thing we have going for us now is Lady Gaga.... we should have a mandatory Lady Gaga session every hour for 3 minutes where we all dance!

[O-Train]

I thought only babies and bats had brown fat. This is new to me.

Our society is designed for obesity. All the education in the world won't change it. People have to want to be healthy and most don't care enough to change their habits.

[waderow]

through education though. you need to teach that shit at a young age

[O-Train]

through education though. you need to teach that shit at a young age

Yeah I can definitely see your point. If my dad hadn't introduced me to weightlifting I probably would never have started.

[waderow]

its all computers and all about not getting hurt these days in schools

****, we ran non stop when i was in school, broke bones, fist fought, chased the girls, had the girls chase us, snow ball fights, lit fires, all that fun shit that is missed now.

so much activity is lost

[canadianmuscle0803]

poor people = fat
rich people = fit

its all about money if you ask me.

[metalchick]

I dunno... I mean, on one hand: I'll take whatever help I can get from science to make it easier, but on the other hand: If there was a way to be in amazing shape without putting a huge amount of effort into it I don't really think I'd be interested.

The reason that being in any kind of shape feels so good to me is that I know I've earned it with my own sweat and willpower. That translates to the self-confidence that lets me put effort into trying new and difficult things. If it was too easy, I wouldn't get that benefit.

well said

[proximo]

Well I know for myself, I have a 13 year old son. And he would play his videogames 247 if I let him. I just limit him to 2 hours of play a week. It takes time to monitor, but he does it. I keep the xbox 360 and ps3 locked in my room, and when he wants to use some of his time, he asks, and I let him play. He oftentimes forgets he has the videogames and just plays outside anyways.

I think it has a lot to do with lazy parenting, or not disciplined parenting.

[juggybuggy]

Our society is designed for obesity. All the education in the world won't change it. People have to want to be healthy and most don't care enough to change their habits.

Bingo. 100 years ago it would take a tremendous effort to become morbidly obese, life just wasn't as easy as it is today. if you wanted a drink of water you had to go out and haul some from the well, now you just turn a tap.
or if you were cold you had to go and chop some wood and make a fire, now you just turn up the thermostat. everything these days requires no effort. that combined with the shit people call food nowadays, it's no wonder people are fat.

[juggybuggy]

Well I know for myself, I have a 13 year old son. And he would play his videogames 247 if I let him. I just limit him to 2 hours of play a week. It takes time to monitor, but he does it. I keep the xbox 360 and ps3 locked in my room, and when he wants to use some of his time, he asks, and I let him play. He oftentimes forgets he has the videogames and just plays outside anyways.

I think it has a lot to do with lazy parenting, or not disciplined parenting.

:a+ good job!

[69challenger]

Well I know for myself, I have a 13 year old son. And he would play his videogames 247 if I let him. I just limit him to 2 hours of play a week. It takes time to monitor, but he does it. I keep the xbox 360 and ps3 locked in my room, and when he wants to use some of his time, he asks, and I let him play. He oftentimes forgets he has the videogames and just plays outside anyways.

I think it has a lot to do with lazy parenting, or not disciplined parenting.

My son is the same. I limit him to 1/2 hour a day. It takes some doing, but once the damn thing is turned off, he forgets about it and plays hard.

[Gettin'r'round]

Like it's been said before, it's all about $$$$$$$$$$.

Ever wondered why "fast" food is cheaper than healthy food even though it's highly processed+advertised? Government gives subsidies to the corn and soybean industries. So fast food is cheaper than it should be thanks to your tax dollars!

The food guide is completely bogus. From the beef lobby to the salt lobby every group makes sure it has it's piece of the pie. The USDA food pyramid has been changed so no group is on the top or bottom, good for industry, not good for YOU! You will ALSO NEVER hear the term "eat less" from the gov't food guides. Well it was mentioned once the '80s in the USDA guide and the lobbies made sure it never, ever happened again and those responsible were fired.

Take care of yourself, because nobody else will.

[Big D]

I know so many people that think eating stuff that says fat free. wont get them fat. and these are all educated people engineers etc..

[natenator]

I still maintain education is not going to stop the problem. People need to wake up, take responsibility for their lives and start THINKING.

It's really not rocket science. You've gained a few pounds so instead of eating those 3 donuts in the morning why don't you try stopping for a while?

It's not impossible. A lot of people do it and still lots with families. If one person can do it another can do it as well. This isn't an intelligence of skills thing.

[metalchick]

I know so many people that think eating stuff that says fat free. wont get them fat. and these are all educated people engineers etc..

I hear this so much it's ridiculous.

I also agree that it is lazy parenting. I caught the end of maury povich today (hate most of his shows) about obese children. 200lb+ kids? wtf, and the parents let them eat whatever they want (like the kids know what's healthy), and just sit them in front of the tv. Terrible.