Childhood Obseity
...sses. The size and number of an individual’s fat cells also help determine the amount of weight loss that is possible. Obesity is partially determined by a person’s genetic makeup. Obese parents tend to have obese children, even if they are not living in the same household. Some characteristics inherited by parents include body type, height, body fat composition, and metabolism. One study published in 1986 followed children who were adopted shortly after birth. The children who were adopted grew up with similar adult weights to their biological parents than their adoptive parents, indicating the influence of a person’s genetic makeup in determining body weight. Another factor included in obesity is blood chemistry. Leptin and insulin are important to take into account. Leptin is a protein that is released by fat cells. It decreases food intake and increases energy outflow. The importance of leptin was discovered with a strain of genetically obese mice. (overhead or picture in book 391) The ob mouse, which has a low metabolism, overeats, and is extremely fat. A particular gene called ob produces leptin. However because of a genetic mutation, the fat cells of the ob mice cannot produce leptin. Leptin acts as an anti-obesity hormone because of its strong influence on metabolism and eating. If the ob mice are given the injections of leptin daily than their metabolic rate increases, creating them to be more active and eat less. As you can see in the end the mice return to normal weight. Researchers believe the cause of obesity in humans is more complicated than in mice and involves the interactions of multiple genes with environmental factors however scientists hope that someday the leptin injections might help obese people to lose weight. A child’s insulin is another important factor in obesity. When children eat complex carbs such as pasta, their insulin levels go up and go down slowly. When children take in simple sugars insulin levels rise and then drop quickly. Children are more likely to eat with in the next several hours after eating complex sugars rather than after eating complex carbs producing the child to eat more. Lastly, environmental factors in obesity such as greater availability to food and tv watching are taken into consideration. Food is everywhere we go and easy to get to, such as vending machines and fast food restaurants. Also ...