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by Donald B. Ardell, Ph. D.
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Wellness in the Headlines
(Don's Report to the World)

Being Fat, Believe It Or Not, Might Not Be Unhealthy In Every Way, Provided You're A Mouse

Monday June 2, 2008

A new study (what would I write about without new studies?) reported in ScienceNOW Daily News suggests a bit of subcutaneous fat in the hips and legs can have health benefits. This raises an immediate question: "If you could live longer "by adding fat of any kind to your hips and legs, would you go for it?

Never mind. The study (as reported by Jennifer Couzin in an essay entitled, "Extra Pounds A Boon,? May 6, 2008), suggests even a lot of fat, in the "right places, can be beneficial. As you might expect, such a finding is likely to gain a lot of attention.

This conclusion, treated as an intriguing hypothesis, is based on work done over time that involved transplanting fat into the "hips and legs" of mice. Yes, it's terrible what humans do to mice in the interest of science.

In humans, the worst place for fat to accumulate is deep in the abdomen. This is known as visceral fat. It is associated with much higher risks of diabetes and heart disease, among other health problems.

The researchers in Boston who did the experiments found mice with transplanted subcutaneous fat gained only about 60% of the weight that a control group of mice gained without "benefit" of fat supplemetation. The former also had better readings in other ways, such as improved glucose and insulin levels. The mice that got visceral cavity fat implants fared worst of all.

So, does this mean that subcutaneous fat might be a health benefit in humans, whether naturally occurring or from fat implants? The researchers did not go that far, but like good researchers everywhere, suggested that additional studies that test varied possibilities along these lines might prove fruitful.

I agree that, other things being the same (e.g., plenty of money around to test all kinds of wild and crazy ideas in search of a breakthrough for our national obesity epidemic), more studies of fat implants might be a pretty good idea, provided independent scientists think such research shows promise. However, I think we should all focus on another strategy at the same time, namely, finding a creative strategy for motivating everyone, especially those with excess fat anywhere on their bodies, to exercise vigorously while eating wisely.

Be well. Look on the bright side of life and be grateful you're not a lab mouse.

Domain: physical
Subdomain: nutrition

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