
Decrease of White Matter Integrity in Obese Adolescents [pdf] - bookofjoe
https://press.rsna.org/pressrelease/2019_resources/2121/abstract.pdf
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eigenvalue
What’s the causal direction here? Do teens get obese in part because their
impulse control centers malfunction? Or does being obese for years cause those
parts of the brain to stop working correctly?

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snagglegaggle
Richard P. Bentall makes convincing argument that happiness is a psychiatric
disorder.† Notably Caesar was said to prefer the company of fat men, with the
implied causation that happy -> fat. One also sees this in the weight gain
usually caused by SSRIs. At the same time obesity has well measured effects on
many metabolic processes, so it is likely there is some effect on the brain.

† [PDF]
[https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1376114/pdf/jme...](https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1376114/pdf/jmedeth00282-0040.pdf)

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hindsightbias
I was going to joke about happy stoned people, but:

Recreational marijuana use impacts white matter integrity and subcortical (but
not cortical) morphometry

[https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4925620/](https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4925620/)

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elliotec
Can someone please ELI5 on the meaning of these things? Googling around just
sends me down a scholarly rabbit hole of more words I don't understand.

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kiba
I did that once to a paper that I don't understand. That is, I read and look
up stuff until I think I understood things.

I learned a lot by doing that. But it took a lot of work, and I forgotten most
of it if it wasn't added to anki. Good thing that I wrote it down in my notes.

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diveanon
This is purely anecdotal.

I have found that obese clients have a much harder time grasping the
theoretical foundation for diving than fit fit clients. I am not talking about
the fitness tests, but understanding the underlying physical principles of the
sport.

This has become enough of an issue that I ask about level of fitness prior to
scheduling courses due to need to budget additional time for unfit clients in
the classroom.

I cannot attribute this to grey matter, it is just my experience that
overweight people take significantly longer to teach basic theory before even
getting into the water.

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xwdv
If you do not use muscles regularly the nerves that control them won’t fire
intelligently and you will stumble around like a buffoon. I’ve certainly never
met an obese person with precise body mechanics.

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lukeschlather
I know obese people who are really great dancers. In the social dance world
heavier people are typically above-average or great dancers. This isn't to say
obese people are better dancers in general - just that people are prejudiced
against obese dancers, and anyone who can deal with that kind of prejudice has
to be really good and motivated to keep showing up.

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xwdv
Yes this is a survivorship bias I would say.

