What are the roots of the What are the roots of the childhood obesity epidemic?childhood obesity epidemic?

““Our genes load the gun but our Our genes load the gun but our environment pulls the trigger.” – environment pulls the trigger.” – George Bray George Bray

All disease epidemics All disease epidemics are …are …

Genetic environmental interactions Genetic environmental interactions Exponential in growth unless limited by Exponential in growth unless limited by

death, immunity and/or infertility death, immunity and/or infertility Have a J or S curveHave a J or S curve

Mean Body Mass Index of Parents of Mean Body Mass Index of Parents of

Four Weight Classes of AdopteesFour Weight Classes of Adoptees

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Stunkard, A., Sorensen, T. Hanis C. Teasdale T., Chakraborty R., Schull W., Schulsinger F., Adoption Study of Human Obesity, NEJM v. 314 January 23 ,1986 No.4 pp.193-197

““Genetic influences on BMI and abdominal adiposity are Genetic influences on BMI and abdominal adiposity are high in children born since the onset of the pediatric high in children born since the onset of the pediatric obesity epidemic.” …obesity epidemic.” …“Targeting the family may be vital for obesity “Targeting the family may be vital for obesity prevention in the earliest years but longer term weight prevention in the earliest years but longer term weight control will require a combination of individual control will require a combination of individual engagement and society wide efforts to modify the engagement and society wide efforts to modify the environment especially for children at high genetic environment especially for children at high genetic

risk.”risk.”

Evidence for a strong genetic influence on childhood adiposity despite the force of the obesogenic environment -- Wardle et al. 87 (2): 398 – American Journal of Clinical Nutrition

BMI and prevalence of diabetes among Pima BMI and prevalence of diabetes among Pima Indians Living in Indians Living in Maycoba, Mexico and Arizona Maycoba, Mexico and Arizona

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Pratley R. Gene-environment interactions in pathogenesis of Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus: lessons learned from the Pima Indians Proceeding of the Nutrition Society 1998, 57, 175 -181

What does a genetic- What does a genetic- environmental action look like? environmental action look like? It reminds me of something…It reminds me of something…

G x E = X ²

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Here we go… Percentage of U.S. Here we go… Percentage of U.S. Children and Adolescents who were Children and Adolescents who were overweight 1963-2002overweight 1963-2002

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What are the causes of obesity besides our genes?What are the causes of obesity besides our genes? Diet (refined carbohydrates and too many calories)Physical InactivityStressLack of sleepAir conditioningPollution…Chemicals like- BpA, DDE, PCBs, TCDD and TBT.Neophobia- the fear of new foods Food deserts Safe neighborhoodsScreen time on computer and TV Advertising Viral Infections Quit SmokingAgingIntra-uterine programming?!?!?

http://slimeasydiet.com/what-causes-obesity/

Factors like stress, diet and pollution can lead to a maternal intra-uterine gene programming creating a transgenerational response in your offspring

Intra-uterine programming?!?!?

This would be epigenetics: the science of how our genes and environment interact.

YouTube - NOVA | Ghost in Your Genes

YouTube - The Ghost In Your Genes - Part 1

YouTube - The Ghost In Your Genes - Part 3

YouTube - The Ghost In Your Genes - Part 2

YouTube – BBC Horizon The Ghost in your Genes Part 4

YouTube -BBC Horizon The Ghost in your Genes - Part 5 -

What this mean?What this mean?

Obesity is an evolutionary response Obesity is an evolutionary response to chemicals and/or a high to chemicals and/or a high caloric/low nutrient diet.caloric/low nutrient diet.

What we need to do?What we need to do?

Change our habits, diversify our food supply with nutrient rich foods: high in Change our habits, diversify our food supply with nutrient rich foods: high in folates, Omega 3s and fiber. folates, Omega 3s and fiber.

Promote the limitation of refined low nutrient / high calorie foods Promote the limitation of refined low nutrient / high calorie foods Ban trans fatsBan trans fats Cut subsidies of unhealthy commodities (like corn, rice and sugar) Cut subsidies of unhealthy commodities (like corn, rice and sugar) Promote physical activity Promote physical activity Limit television advertising to kidsLimit television advertising to kids

Remember Jamie Oliver’s Remember Jamie Oliver’s Food Revolution?Food Revolution?

What makes the Huntington, West What makes the Huntington, West Virginia area so unique? Virginia area so unique?

The answer can found in the movie: “We The answer can found in the movie: “We are Marshall.” are Marshall.”

The loss of the football team in the plane The loss of the football team in the plane crash amplified the effect of stress and crash amplified the effect of stress and obesity across generations. No one in the obesity across generations. No one in the community was left unaffected.community was left unaffected.

What happens if we do What happens if we do nothing?nothing? Where we are Where we are now.now.

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NHANES 2005 -2006

This chart shows the distribution of BMI between 1976-1980 and 2005-2006

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If trends continue …If trends continue …

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NHANES 1976-1980

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The FUTURE!!!

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This can’t happen!This can’t happen!

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The FUTURE!!!

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I can’t imagine living such a world I can’t imagine living such a world but let me guess…but let me guess…

Diabetes rate 33% or more Diabetes rate 33% or more Fertility rate falls Fertility rate falls Morality rate rises Morality rate rises Civil unrest / health care crisis Civil unrest / health care crisis Global systemic economic collapseGlobal systemic economic collapse Famine Famine Large scale natural selectionLarge scale natural selection And lastly…And lastly…

Since our conventional armed forces will be limited by the epidemic… our only logical option will be…

See: Too Fat to Fight