General fitness, health and nutrition · Public discussion

Does obesity begin in the brain?

Jbuch · 2006-06-10T12:07:05+00:00

The issue of overweight being something other than "weak willpower" arouses some hot tempers. This study produces some evidence that there are brain function differences between 29 overweight people and 47 normal folks using positron emission tomography. But the differences were "slight". And is this a Cause or an Effect of overweight? -------------------------------------------------------------------- Does obesity begin in the brain? * 10:00 10 June 2006 * NewScientist.com news service * FAT is a neurobiological issue. The brains of overweight people have more receptors for the neurotransmitter serotonin than those of people of normal weight, suggesting that being overweight may be down to more than just eating habits and may have an origin in brain chemistry. David Erritzoe and his colleagues at the Neurobiology Research Unit at Rigshospitalet, part of Copenhagen University Hospital, Denmark, used positron emission tomography to map the brains of 47 people of normal weight and 29 overweight people. Drugs that block the serotonin receptor 5-HT2A are associated with weight gain, and in animals, stimulating the receptor causes weight loss, suggesting that this receptor plays a role in regulating body weight. The researchers found slightly higher concentrations of the [serotonin] receptor in overweight people. [ *slightly* ] Whether the difference in receptor number is a cause or an effect of being overweight remains uncertain, but twin studies suggest that genes are important in determining its prevalence. "I think it's important for people with weight problems to know that there may be a neurobiological side to it," Erritzoe says. He presented the work at a meeting of the Society of Nuclear Medicine in San Diego, California, last week. -- 1) Eat Till SATISFIED, Not STUFFED... Atkins repeated 9 times in the book 2) Exercise: It's Non-Negotiable..... Chapter 22 title, Atkins book 3) Don't Diet Without Supplemental Nutrients... Chapter 23 title, Atkins book 4) A sensible eating plan, and follow it. (Atkins, Self Made or Other)

Started by Jbuch · 10 June 2006 · Last activity 11 June 2006 · 3 posts · 535 views

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Original section: General fitness, health and nutrition
Published: 10 June 2006
Last activity: 11 June 2006
Original author: Jbuch
Posts: 3
Discussion status: Public discussion
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Original post
Jbuch
Archived post

10 June 2006, 12:07 UTC #1

The issue of overweight being something other than "weak willpower"
arouses some hot tempers. This study produces some evidence that there
are brain function differences between 29 overweight people and 47
normal folks using positron emission tomography.
But the differences were "slight". And is this a Cause or an Effect of
overweight?
--------------------------------------------------------------------
Does obesity begin in the brain?
* 10:00 10 June 2006
* NewScientist.com news service
*
FAT is a neurobiological issue. The brains of overweight people have
more receptors for the neurotransmitter serotonin than those of people
of normal weight, suggesting that being overweight may be down to more
than just eating habits and may have an origin in brain chemistry.
David Erritzoe and his colleagues at the Neurobiology Research Unit at
Rigshospitalet, part of Copenhagen University Hospital, Denmark, used
positron emission tomography to map the brains of 47 people of normal
weight and 29 overweight people. Drugs that block the serotonin receptor
5-HT2A are associated with weight gain, and in animals, stimulating the
receptor causes weight loss, suggesting that this receptor plays a role
in regulating body weight.
The researchers found slightly higher concentrations of the [serotonin]
receptor in overweight people.
[ *slightly* ]
Whether the difference in receptor number is a cause or an effect of
being overweight remains uncertain, but twin studies suggest that genes
are important in determining its prevalence.
"I think it's important for people with weight problems to know that
there may be a neurobiological side to it," Erritzoe says. He presented
the work at a meeting of the Society of Nuclear Medicine in San Diego,
California, last week.
--
1) Eat Till SATISFIED, Not STUFFED... Atkins repeated 9 times in the book
2) Exercise: It's Non-Negotiable..... Chapter 22 title, Atkins book
3) Don't Diet Without Supplemental Nutrients... Chapter 23 title, Atkins
book
4) A sensible eating plan, and follow it. (Atkins, Self Made or Other)

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Harold Groot
Archived post

10 June 2006, 22:20 UTC #2

Jbuch said:
The researchers found slightly higher concentrations of the [serotonin]
receptor in overweight people.
[ *slightly* ]
"Slightly" is all it might take. Suppose you ate just "slightly" more
than your break-even point. What happens?
Let's suppose that your break-even point is 2000 calories/day and that
you eat just 2% more than your break-even calories each day. That's
just 40 extra calories per day. But in 365 days that's 14600 extra
calories, or slighly over 4.1 pounds of fat. In 10 years, 41+ pounds.
In 20 years, 83 pounds.
There are quite a few people who follow this pattern, just gaining a
few pounds each year but doing it steadily.
I can't say if the number of serotonin receptors actually causes this
or not. I just wanted to point out that "slight" differences over a
long period of time can really add up.

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Jbuch
Archived post

11 June 2006, 11:56 UTC #3

Harold Groot said:
Jbuch said:
The researchers found slightly higher concentrations of the [serotonin]
receptor in overweight people.
[ *slightly* ]
"Slightly" is all it might take. Suppose you ate just "slightly" more
than your break-even point. What happens?
Let's suppose that your break-even point is 2000 calories/day and that
you eat just 2% more than your break-even calories each day. That's
just 40 extra calories per day. But in 365 days that's 14600 extra
calories, or slighly over 4.1 pounds of fat. In 10 years, 41+ pounds.
In 20 years, 83 pounds.
There are quite a few people who follow this pattern, just gaining a
few pounds each year but doing it steadily.
I can't say if the number of serotonin receptors actually causes this
or not. I just wanted to point out that "slight" differences over a
long period of time can really add up.
Yes, *slight* might be enough.
The press release had reflected the cautions of the researchers on over
emphasis of the results.
PET is still a technique with coarse spatial resolution and *slight*
differences on the screen or film could be large differences in a very
small volume of brain tissue. But the coarser physical resolution of
the instrument results in smaller recorded differences.
--
1) Eat Till SATISFIED, Not STUFFED... Atkins repeated 9 times in the book
2) Exercise: It's Non-Negotiable..... Chapter 22 title, Atkins book
3) Don't Diet Without Supplemental Nutrients... Chapter 23 title, Atkins
book
4) A sensible eating plan, and follow it. (Atkins, Self Made or Other)

Report

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