Comments on: Does a Common Cold Virus Boost Chances of Childhood Obesity?

By: Dr. Victor Ong YC

Dr. Victor Ong YC — Wed, 22 Sep 2010 22:56:42 +0000

After reading this article, take a look at pages 29-31 of the book ‘Aetiology of Individual Obesities – A Brief Introduction to Causal Clusters’, 2008, Armour Publishing. It will help you put everything in perspective.

By: Ed Cash

Ed Cash — Wed, 22 Sep 2010 22:02:08 +0000

About the “chicken or egg issue” Continue the study, concentrating on the chldren without the correlation.

Do the currently nonobese adenovirus 36-positive children have an increased rate of obesity in the future?

Do the obese children who are not adenovirus 36-positive have an increased rate of adenovirus-36 positive results?

Seems to me it was once thought that bacterial infections caused all diseases. It turned out they didn’t. Diet and exercise may not be the only answer.

By: Jennifer Welsh

Jennifer Welsh — Wed, 22 Sep 2010 21:47:38 +0000

JD and Nick,

Thanks for your comments. I agree that its an incredibly valid point that this correlation could happen the other way around, but there are some interesting animal and cell culture experiments that have been done which seem to point the other way. It will be interesting to see how future research pans out!

Jen

By: nick

nick — Wed, 22 Sep 2010 03:34:05 +0000

I think it much more likely that poor diet and lack of exercise causes reduced immune system function, as the researchers state in the article. That seems to pass the Occam’s razor test a bit better than the much more hyped part of the article.

By: JD

JD — Tue, 21 Sep 2010 23:57:16 +0000

Your title should read Does child obesity boost the chances of the common cold virus. Obesity is the problem that causes havoc with our bodies not the other way around!

By: Jennifer Welsh

Jennifer Welsh — Tue, 21 Sep 2010 21:59:17 +0000

Hey all,

Thanks for your comments.

I want to reiterate that even though these researchers are saying this could be a POSSIBLE FACTOR contributing to childhood obesity, they aren’t saying it is the only factor, or the factor for all obese children, or adults for that matter. For many people it is possible, if not likely, that a healthier lifestyle will solve many of their obesity issues.

Because of discoveries like this, which could help us understand why some people have a harder time loosing weight and keeping it off, doctors could develop new ways to treat people who have been exposed to this virus, if it is discovered to be a causative factor.

Thanks!
Jen

By: Rhacodactylus

Rhacodactylus — Tue, 21 Sep 2010 18:28:21 +0000

Dante, it is very true that we can attribute much of the obesity problem to lifestyle, but it’s ridiculous to turn a blind eye to science which could help the situation. And, seems like an odd tack for someone on a science blog to take.

By: Dante The Canadian

Dante The Canadian — Tue, 21 Sep 2010 18:24:23 +0000

Orrrrrrrrrrrrr childhood obesity in otherwise healthy children is caused by kids who are fed too much fatty, processed, sugar and starch laced foods. Could it also be that childhood obesity is caused in conjunction with a lack of exercise?????? Unless a child has a glandular issue, the childs obesity mirrors why adult obesity rates have skyrocketed.

1. Poor Diet.
2. Lack of exercise

That’s it. Let’s quit always trying to blame a virus or a bacteria for our issues. The reason why kids and adults are obese is because of OUR LIFESTYLES and nothing else.

By: Megan S

Megan S — Tue, 21 Sep 2010 17:00:40 +0000

Children who are not breastfed or are not breasfed for a significant period of time contract increased numbers of colds in their early years!

There is already a clear link between formula feeding and obesity, maybe this is tied into it?

Can’t keep the scientist out of this SAHM for long!