

Being fat is bad for your brain - robg
http://opinionator.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/04/20/brain-damage/?ref=global-home

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c0riander
Correlation =/= causation. So many leaps are being made here.

> One study of 60 healthy young adults (in their 20s and 30s) found that the
> fatter members of the group had significantly lower gray-matter densities in
> several brain regions, including those involved in the perception of taste
> and the regulation of eating behavior.

Maybe the lower gray-matter density, particularly in the "perception of taste
and the regulation of eating behavior" areas, predisposes them to being
overweight, rather than the extra weight causing brain shrinkage. You'd have
to do a longitudinal study to be able to make a case for causation...

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izendejas
Yea, the conclusion is overly simplified here. I think it's safe to say not
exercising and not eating well is generally bad for your entire well being,
not just your brain and weight.

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tokenadult
"Whatever the causes, the implications are grave. In the United States today,
around one-third of adults are obese. At the same time, dementia is already
one of the most costly and devastating health problems of old age. The
possibility that obesity today will lead to higher rates of dementia in the
future is, therefore, deeply alarming."

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Retric
Don't worry _fat_ people die young...

Well, if you are fat enough for the average american to notice you can expect
a reduced lifespan. If you are slightly overweight relative to BMI charts you
actually have a longer life expenctancy.
(<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:WikiRRM.jpg>)

PS: I guess the truth hirts.

~~~
aaronblohowiak
Not as much as you'd think. They are just more expensive to maintain as they
age, thanks to the wonders of modern medicine.

~~~
Retric
It's still relative but when you tip 40+ BMI you still have a significantly
shorter life expectancy.

 _On average, obesity reduces life expectancy by six to seven years:[2][27] a
BMI of 30–35 reduces life expectancy by two to four years,[21] while severe
obesity (BMI > 40) reduces life expectancy by 10
years.[21]_(<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Obesity>)

PS: I have a BMI of 34 so I want to know just how bad it can get if I let
myself go any further. There is a lot of misinformation out there but being
overweight has real negative effects on your heath.

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adamc
Fortunately, being fat is also likely to make you die before you get dementia.

No question that being fat isn't healthy, but I don't think there is much of a
practical take-home from this. People already know that.

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truebosko
The article is not just saying fat != healthy. There are some good comments to
takeaway about how fat affects the brain, e.g.:

" Fat cells also secrete substances that cause inflammation; chronic
inflammation of the brain, which is often found in the obese, impairs learning
and memory and is also a feature of Alzheimer’s."

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KirinDave
I don't like the causal relationship expressed in the title of this article.
What the data they describe in the article suggests is that increased risks
for dementia and obesity are linked. But the title has the typical, "If you're
not working out you're HURTING YOUR BRAIN." That, it seems, is not yet
researched enough to be conclusive (nor is it really germane to the article).

Yet another case of "Good Article, Bad Headline."

I hope this isn't another excuse for thin people to lord their genetic
predispositions and life choices over thick people. That's very tiresome.

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kevinh
Yes, being morbidly obese isn't healthy, but I feel obligated to point out
that being underweight is generally as bad medically as being obese, yet due
to society's standard of beauty trending towards people who are practically
skeletal, you don't see that mentioned nearly as much.

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antidaily
Sorry, but no way. Being underweight presents far less health consequences
than being even just overweight.

Obesity health risks: Heart Disease, Diabetes, High Blood Pressure, Stroke,
sleep apnea, Gout.

Underweight health risks: Osteoporosis, weakness, anemia, weaker immune
system.

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ErrantX
Do you have medical evidence to back that up?

Some problems associated with being underweight (I was very underweight when
younger) I am aware of are:

\- susceptible to illness/disease

\- poor metabolism

\- bad blood flow

\- tiredness

The problems are different, definitely, but no less problematic.

I would argue the higher number of people dying of obesity is purely down to
the higher number of obese people (compared to dangerously underweight people)

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jules
So if you are not tired not weak and almost never sick but technically
underweight you don't have to worry? How can you determine poor metabolism and
bad blood flow?

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ErrantX
Not at all - those are just some of the things I suffered from.

Bad blood flow? If you have issues with feeling cold a lot (especially in your
extremities), regular light headedness etc.

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anamax
My brain really likes glucose.

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oscardelben
And guess what? Food companies know that too.

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ecoffey
_SIGH_ , _climbs back on bike_

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zyb09
ha! That explains everything about the USA. Just kidding :P

