# Obesity; Do you think this disease will ever be cured or have we already cured it? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [December 17, 2023, 5:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obesity-do-you-think-this-disease-will-ever-be-cured-or-have-we-already-cured-it/994744 "2023-12-17T17:42:02Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![DSeid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dseid/32/20194_2.png) [@DSeid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DSeid)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2023, 2:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obesity-do-you-think-this-disease-will-ever-be-cured-or-have-we-already-cured-it/994744/61 "2023-12-20T14:39:14Z")
To add in, yes it returns to the super stimulus idea. For vast swaths of time finding eating as much sweet and fat as you could when you could, storing it as fat for when needed later, served creatures, including humans well. Ample fiber and even enough protein was almost unavoidable along the way. Modern world providers of product exploit those responses with virtually unlimited availability of sweet and fats nearly devoid of fiber, out of the packaging with hosts of healthier stuff. Additional potential contributors: [Antibiotics](https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6287021/), in the food and water supply as well as administered in childhood in particular. Our microbiomes are major factors in obesity risk and metabolic regulation. We start off with some from our mothers obtained during birth and soon after; we thereby inherit some of her predisposition, another trans generational risk factor. Alter it further with frequent environmental antibiotic exposures and distort its developmental trajectory with wanton antibiotic use and obesity risk rises. [Hyperprocessed foods](https://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2023/05/25/1178163270/ultra-processed-foods-health-risk-weight-gain). Junk with excess sugars and fats and little good stuff is of course part of that, but those who are big on it as a cause point at other additives as well, such as emulsifiers. The fraction of a typical modern human’s diet, especially during childhood, made up of these foods is shocking. Adults as individuals can limit their harms. Yeah altering the systems of our food consumption and production would be effective but is hard to accomplish. Parents can however have impact on their children’s risks. Let your kids’ docs know you care about good antibiotic stewardship, only using them when definitely needed. Lots of mild to moderate ear infections will resolve with meds; try watchful waiting. Limit exposure to hyperprocessed foods serving a variety of real food options and little sweet beverages. Look out for high amounts of added sugar. Do not force or fight but also do not bribe or cater. This is what is available. Eat or don’t is up to you. Hungry still? There is a pile of fruit and some snacking vegetables over there. Help yourself. ---
**Author:** ![DSeid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dseid/32/20194_2.png) [@DSeid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DSeid)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2023, 3:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obesity-do-you-think-this-disease-will-ever-be-cured-or-have-we-already-cured-it/994744/62 "2023-12-20T15:08:59Z")
> [@DSeid](#): > > Lots of mild to moderate ear infections will resolve with meds; try watchful waiting. WithOUT meds … ---
**Author:** ![not\_what\_you\_d\_expect](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/not_what_you_d_expect/32/3246_2.png) [@not\_what\_you\_d\_expect](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/not_what_you_d_expect)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2023, 6:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obesity-do-you-think-this-disease-will-ever-be-cured-or-have-we-already-cured-it/994744/63 "2023-12-20T18:48:47Z")
I am very surprised that none of my 3 grandkids have ever had ear infection that needed attention, that I can remember anyway. The youngest is 5 now. It seemed very common when I was raising my daughter 40 years ago, ear tubes! was a constant fear amongst my friends with young kids. ---
**Author:** ![Dr\_Paprika](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dr_paprika/32/3042_2.png) [@Dr\_Paprika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr_Paprika)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2023, 8:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obesity-do-you-think-this-disease-will-ever-be-cured-or-have-we-already-cured-it/994744/64 "2023-12-20T20:40:28Z")
The fact it may be hard to discontinue these drugs does not mean they aren’t beneficial. This article emphasizes we don’t know the long-term effects of many new drugs. > **[Opinion | We Know How to Put People on Ozempic. Do We Know How to Get Them...](https://www.nytimes.com/2023/12/20/opinion/ozempic-oprah.html)** > > How informed consent about long-term prescriptions can be improved. ---
**Author:** ![DSeid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dseid/32/20194_2.png) [@DSeid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DSeid)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2023, 1:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obesity-do-you-think-this-disease-will-ever-be-cured-or-have-we-already-cured-it/994744/65 "2023-12-21T01:48:53Z")
> [@Dr\_Paprika](#): > > This article emphasizes we don’t know the long-term effects of many new drugs. You find good articles! Good reason for caution in what seems to be a headlong rush. Maybe perpetual use will control a chronic disease and prevent morbidities, as does Lipitor and QVar for me? I treat my genetic propensity to high cholesterol (refractory to diet and exercise but not a replacement for), and my tendency to airway inflammation; I cure neither. But before this joins those, along with antidepressants and antihypertensives and others, in the lifestyle med group, maybe longer term impacts should be understood a bit better, or at least the lack of knowing better communicated? > [@not\_what\_you\_d\_expect](#): > > It seemed very common when I was raising my daughter 40 years ago, ear tubes! was a constant fear amongst my friends with young kids. Mainly another immunization success: Prevnar, the vaccine against pneumococcal infections, not only prevents major events like meningitis, pneumonia, and sepsis, but also prevents recurrent otitis media. Tube frequency has dropped. ---
**Author:** ![Moriarty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/moriarty/32/49_2.png) [@Moriarty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Moriarty)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2023, 3:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obesity-do-you-think-this-disease-will-ever-be-cured-or-have-we-already-cured-it/994744/66 "2023-12-21T03:09:53Z")
> [@DSeid](#): > > > [@not\_what\_you\_d\_expect](#): > > > > It seemed very common when I was raising my daughter 40 years ago, ear tubes! was a constant fear amongst my friends with young kids. > > Mainly another immunization success Also, a reduction in smoking within the home. > **[Ear Infections In Children Linked To Passive Smoking](https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/05/080519110703.htm)** > > A strong link has been found between childhood ear infections and exposure to tobacco smoke. The impact of passive smoking in the home on ear infections was reduced if the children also attended day care. Besides the good dietary practices mentioned upthread, I’d encourage the grandkids to be active. Exercise is absolutely a key to staving off obesity, and _muscle building_ especially can have a great impact on the body’s fat stores. > **[The Trick to Getting Lean, Strong and Toned Muscles Without Doing Cardio](https://www.cnet.com/health/fitness/lose-weight-build-muscle-zero-cardio-workout/)** > > The unique influence weightlifting has on your body's ability to burn fat. This is true for women, too, of course. And a women who develops muscle won’t become “big and bulky” - she’ll become more lean, and therefore likely smaller in size. ---
**Author:** ![DSeid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dseid/32/20194_2.png) [@DSeid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DSeid)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2023, 3:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obesity-do-you-think-this-disease-will-ever-be-cured-or-have-we-already-cured-it/994744/67 "2023-12-21T03:42:14Z")
> [@Moriarty](#): > > Also, a reduction in smoking within the home. True and a very good point. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obesity-do-you-think-this-disease-will-ever-be-cured-or-have-we-already-cured-it/994744.md?page=3)