The Obesity Virus
Julie Chen with CBS news interviews Dr. Louis Aronne about research which suggests that obesity could actually be contagious – like the common cold. Dr. Aronne is an obesity expert at New York Presbyterian/Weill Cornell Medical Center.
Adenoviruses
The research Dr. Aronne is citing centers around a human adenovirus, AD-36. Researchers in both the U.S. and India have found evidence that several human adenoviruses can cause obesity in animals. Among these are AD-5, AD-36 and AD-37.
Doctors don’t normally test for adenoviruses during a normal examination. One common way that leads physicians to suspect an adenovirus infection is a blood test. If a person has a low cholesterol level, coupled with weight problems, it could be a sign that they have the virus. Dr. Aronne says, “It looks like what it does, is it makes fat cells sort of suck fat into them, and that could make you gain more weight.”
The Theory
The theory that a virus could lead to obesity is widely challenged in the scientific community. Most of the research has been done on animals, rather than humans, and many people who’ve been diagnosed with AD-36 show no signs of weight gain. Supporters of the theory contend that the explosion of obesity in recent years can’t all be linked to overeating, especially in Third World countries. More than 1 billion adults are overweight, according to the World Health Organization.
Dr. Aronne admits that it’s very rare for a person to be diagnosed with AD-36, and it will likely make most patients gain “a little bit of weight.” Researchers believe a third of obese adults may have contracted AD-36 at some point in their lives, and about ten percent of lean adults.
Like most weight problems, diet and exercise are the main prescription for a person who’s been diagnosed with AD-36.
Dr Kal’s Addendum:
I wouldn’t worry too much about whether or not you have the “Obesity Virus” because chances are you do not. It would not matter anyway because the treatment of your Obesity would be the same. Small lifestyle modifications lead to slow permanent weight loss.
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