Obesity as Protection Against Metabolic Syndrome
Here’s an interesting theory from Roger Unger,
M.D.: obesity
is not the cause of metabolic syndrome but rather a defense against
it. Metabolic syndrome
is a fancy new name for belly fat and
increased risk for heart disease, strokes and diabetes—it’s
afflicting more and more Americans these days.
Dr. Unger’s theory is is intriguing, and he may be on to something. I’m not certain, though, what the prognosis is: okay, so fat doesn’t cause the problem but what does? Is it simple lack of exercise? In that case, the answer is simple: raise the gasoline tax to $4/gallon, all proceeds to go toward bicycles for the poor and new bike-only roads. Is it the wrong sort of food? Then start subsidising the right stuff and stop subsidising the wrong stuff (although—what if certain key political states like Iowa can’t meet the nation’s needs for healthy food as they can for maize?). More research is clearly needed.
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