Re: The science of obesity: what do we really know about what makes us fat? An essay by Gary Taubes
Dear Sir,
For most cases of obesity, why can’t we simply say that obesity is a manifest discrepancy between total energy intakes versus the energy output? Wouldn’t this simple statement be appropriate in about 90 to 95 percent of cases of obesity? Lifestyle factors, and excess energy intake, vis-à-vis reduced energy expenditure are at play here in this major chunk of nearly 90 to 95 percent. It is just a miniscule of percentage that some of the other causes for obesity can actually be traced, like genes, metabolic and hormonal causes, etc.
Let us start by relating the first author’s own personal inch and pound story. All the times that he was sent on postings to some real difficult areas, arctic climates, hot-spots so as to say, for months and years together, his weight remained well within the laid down parameters, like almost everyone who were with him along sides. Those were the times when he was away from his family, took all the entitled calories and then some more as well, never really counting the calories. Like all others out there posted with him, as he says, he too was missing his family and was slightly concerned for their welfare while they were separated from him owing to his posting to very difficult areas. But then, he did use to return to the base after two and a half to three years, and it did not take him more than six months to start getting counted in the overweight or obese category, although every other possible factor had remained quite unchanged. This cycle was repeated many a times with him, and we did raise this concern earlier on as well [1, 2]. Call it whatever you may, mental peace, tranquility, mood, familiar and congenial surroundings, being in the company of the family once again, etc.
These cycles of his postings to estranged and very difficult areas affected his wife and his children in almost a similar pattern; turning slim when he was away, and picking up weight as soon as he was back, although all that while they had kept staying at a far off secure places with other families, and there was daily cooking of delicious and savory food, with more than enough calories. We believe that this peculiar trend would have been observed by all veterans from around the world, and of any country, and that they would easily understand and acknowledge, notwithstanding the difference in beret, or whatever emblem or insignia they might have been sworn to.
We believe that mood, temperament, congenial and relaxed environment, cooking and eating habits, do have a strong role to play, besides physical inactivity, and other indulgences that have already been identified elsewhere. As per his own reasoning, the reasons for him catching on weight are not too many. It is just one perhaps, and that is that he turns lazy, from the very moment he used to get back home and rejoin the congenial environment of his family.
We do have some latest management techniques for obesity, like the anti-obesity pills, liposuction, bariatric surgery, etc. Recently, we have developed a fairly new technique to remove unwanted flab from the waist, thighs, arms, etc. This is a totally painless technique, non-invasive, and we are able to decrease waist by three inch in a matter of three days. We would want this technique be called “Dr. S. Arulrhaj’s non-invasive technique for flab and cellulite removal” [FIGURE 1], as he has always been a revered teacher and a mentor. This technique uses an interplay of various electro-medical appliances in varying combinations and proportions, depending on the problem, its extent, duration, and severity. We could do just this much at our own, with our own initiative, own accord, own resources, and without any help or encouragement from any non-governmental or governmental source, national or international. Alongside we have also been prescribing, empirically though, a short course of aspirin and anti-cholesterol agents in minimal doses for just about a week. We do feel that much more research needs to be done, to make this technique more viable, acceptable, more precise, with improved accuracy, safety, acceptability, and making it totally free from any untoward results or complications. We had presented this latest technique threadbare to the august gathering of doctors, along with many other new techniques, at the III International Congress of Family Medicine and the ICON 2012, that were held at Chennai, India, in September 2012. A gist was also presented at the Commonwealth Medical Association’s Annual Conference that was held at Chennai, India, on the same dates and at the same venue where the other conferences were held.
Best regards.
Dr (Lt Col) Rajesh Chauhan
Hon’ National Professor (IMA CGP), INDIA
Dr. Ajay Kumar Singh Parihar
Resident, Dept of Medicine, Index Medical College, Indore. INDIA.
Rapid Response:
Re: The science of obesity: what do we really know about what makes us fat? An essay by Gary Taubes
Dear Sir,
For most cases of obesity, why can’t we simply say that obesity is a manifest discrepancy between total energy intakes versus the energy output? Wouldn’t this simple statement be appropriate in about 90 to 95 percent of cases of obesity? Lifestyle factors, and excess energy intake, vis-à-vis reduced energy expenditure are at play here in this major chunk of nearly 90 to 95 percent. It is just a miniscule of percentage that some of the other causes for obesity can actually be traced, like genes, metabolic and hormonal causes, etc.
Let us start by relating the first author’s own personal inch and pound story. All the times that he was sent on postings to some real difficult areas, arctic climates, hot-spots so as to say, for months and years together, his weight remained well within the laid down parameters, like almost everyone who were with him along sides. Those were the times when he was away from his family, took all the entitled calories and then some more as well, never really counting the calories. Like all others out there posted with him, as he says, he too was missing his family and was slightly concerned for their welfare while they were separated from him owing to his posting to very difficult areas. But then, he did use to return to the base after two and a half to three years, and it did not take him more than six months to start getting counted in the overweight or obese category, although every other possible factor had remained quite unchanged. This cycle was repeated many a times with him, and we did raise this concern earlier on as well [1, 2]. Call it whatever you may, mental peace, tranquility, mood, familiar and congenial surroundings, being in the company of the family once again, etc.
These cycles of his postings to estranged and very difficult areas affected his wife and his children in almost a similar pattern; turning slim when he was away, and picking up weight as soon as he was back, although all that while they had kept staying at a far off secure places with other families, and there was daily cooking of delicious and savory food, with more than enough calories. We believe that this peculiar trend would have been observed by all veterans from around the world, and of any country, and that they would easily understand and acknowledge, notwithstanding the difference in beret, or whatever emblem or insignia they might have been sworn to.
We believe that mood, temperament, congenial and relaxed environment, cooking and eating habits, do have a strong role to play, besides physical inactivity, and other indulgences that have already been identified elsewhere. As per his own reasoning, the reasons for him catching on weight are not too many. It is just one perhaps, and that is that he turns lazy, from the very moment he used to get back home and rejoin the congenial environment of his family.
We do have some latest management techniques for obesity, like the anti-obesity pills, liposuction, bariatric surgery, etc. Recently, we have developed a fairly new technique to remove unwanted flab from the waist, thighs, arms, etc. This is a totally painless technique, non-invasive, and we are able to decrease waist by three inch in a matter of three days. We would want this technique be called “Dr. S. Arulrhaj’s non-invasive technique for flab and cellulite removal” [FIGURE 1], as he has always been a revered teacher and a mentor. This technique uses an interplay of various electro-medical appliances in varying combinations and proportions, depending on the problem, its extent, duration, and severity. We could do just this much at our own, with our own initiative, own accord, own resources, and without any help or encouragement from any non-governmental or governmental source, national or international. Alongside we have also been prescribing, empirically though, a short course of aspirin and anti-cholesterol agents in minimal doses for just about a week. We do feel that much more research needs to be done, to make this technique more viable, acceptable, more precise, with improved accuracy, safety, acceptability, and making it totally free from any untoward results or complications. We had presented this latest technique threadbare to the august gathering of doctors, along with many other new techniques, at the III International Congress of Family Medicine and the ICON 2012, that were held at Chennai, India, in September 2012. A gist was also presented at the Commonwealth Medical Association’s Annual Conference that was held at Chennai, India, on the same dates and at the same venue where the other conferences were held.
Best regards.
Dr (Lt Col) Rajesh Chauhan
Hon’ National Professor (IMA CGP), INDIA
Dr. Ajay Kumar Singh Parihar
Resident, Dept of Medicine, Index Medical College, Indore. INDIA.
Dr. Shruti Chauhan
REFERENCES:
1. Chauhan R, Chauhan S, Chauhan S, Chauhan SPS. Obesity: the new "raja" or just fetal origins? BMJ 14 June 2005. http://www.bmj.com/rapid-response/2011/10/31/obesity-new-raja-or-just-fe... (Accessed on 09 May 2013)
2. Chauhan R, Chauhan S, Chauhan S, Chauhan SPS, Chauhan A, Chauhan A. Obesity - an ongoing controversy. BMJ 12 Dec 2005. http://www.bmj.com/rapid-response/2011/10/31/obesity-ongoing-controversy (Accessed on 09 May 2013)
Competing interests: No competing interests