A family gain

A stressful family life can lead to a heavy family gain. According to a study, a child who grows up in a home with stressors such as divorce, illness, death, or violence can foster overweight children. The article never mentions exactly how these children become obese, but binge eating and absence of motivation to exercise may be the culprits. Nevertheless, children learn a lot from their elders, so if you know a child who is struggling at home, reach out as a healthy role model.

In other "news" from 2006, obesity can be contagious. Granted, this is an older article, but the overweight epidemic has only grown in the past three years. The Journal of Physiology, Regulatory Integrative and Comparative Physiology reported that some cases of obesity are caused by the human adenovirus Ad-37, which also causes obesity in chickens.

Research has shown that the amount of fat carried by our fat cells cells can increase when we are infected with such a virus. The team of researchers even planned to create an "anti-obesity" vaccine to offset the progression of the virus. (Ha.)

The doctor who oversaw this study commented that some people may carry the virus but are not necessarily obese. A healthy lifestyle of exercise and a sensible diet are still the best antidotes for the disease. (Go figure! Pun intended.)

Three years later, I wonder how much attention has been given to this matter. Yes, obesity is hereditary, but the epidemic has become so widespread that it is hardly and issue of familial genetics and more a concern for poor dietary decisions and lack of physical activity.