Can't lose weight? Could be your fat's fighting back: Body 'mechanisms' of obese people can hamper weight loss
PUBLICATION: The Province
DATE: 2005.10.12
EDITION: Final
SECTION: News
PAGE: A3
BYLINE: Don Harrison
SOURCE: The Province
ILLUSTRATION: Photo: Dr. Louis Aronne
WORD COUNT: 241
Dr. Louis Aronne might just be a fat person's best friend.
The president of the North American Association for the Study of Obesity believes the familiar lament, "I'm trying to lose weight, but I can't," is not simply a fridge magnet's lame excuse but a response to physiological
change.
"There's something to it," said New Yorker Aronne. "There looks like there are physical factors that interrupt weight−regulating mechanisms, which makes it difficult for people to lose weight and maintain that weight loss."
Aronne and 2,000 other obesity/overweight experts will be in Vancouver starting Saturday for a five−day conference. And with O/O rates skyrocketing −− 23 per cent of Canadian adults; 30 per in the U.S. −− a need to avoid ruining health systems with fat−induced diseases has never been greater.
Aronne said the research "puts the emphasis on prevention. [But] once obesity is established, more aggressive measures should be taken. At this point, using medication begins to make sense." Experts such as York University's Caroline Davis are studying underlying issues for self−induced damage, such as binge eating caused by genetic makeup or poor nutritional choices following strokes or substance abuse.
University of B.C. nutritional specialist Ryna Levy−Milne sees an obvious location to begin fighting the modern plague, a production of such factors as too much TV and exercise−free commutes caused by high urban housing costs. "Schools are a great environment to have healthier choices" developed via food and activities, Levy−Milne said. She said collaboration is essential in the battle of the bulge, with "government taking the lead."
[email protected]
CERTAINLY DESCRIBES MY "BODY MECHANISM"
Frouf, I'm working on my letter right now!
