CO2 makes you fat

[Analog]

Mad as it may sound, Danish researchers have announced a theory that may not only explain why people all over the world are getting fatter and fatter, but also warn of the serious consequences for life on Earth of continued pollution of the atmosphere by CO2 emissions.
In itself, the theory is quite simple: CO2 contributes to making us fat.
“There’s something in the air”

The theory arose several years ago, when Lars-Georg Hersoug studied the development of obesity among people who had been followed over a number of years in the so-called MONICA studies (Monitoring of Trends and Determinants in Cardio-vascular Disease) in Denmark. These studies have mapped the lifestyles of thousands of Danes.
Hersoug was surprised to see that both fat and thin people taking part in the studies over a 22-year period had put on weight – and the increase was proportionately the same.
Orexins – which are neuropeptide hormones – in the brain stimulate wakefulness and energy expenditure. These hormones may be affected by CO2, and this can cause us to go to bed later, affecting our metabolism so it is easier for us to put on weight. But orexins are also involved in the stimulation of food intake.
“The normal theory is that fat people get fatter because they don’t move as much as they should,” says Hersoug, now a post-doc at the Research Centre for Prevention and Health at Glostrup University Hospital. “But the study showed that thin people also get fatter, and this happened over the whole of the 22-year period of the study.”
Obesity may follow CO2 concentration

Hersoug has since studied events and research results that could support his theory.
1. He says the development in obesity in the US was fastest in the period 1986-2010 on the east coast – where CO2 concentrations are highest.
2. A study from 2010, covering 20,000 animals in various laboratories, showed that all the animals put on weight, even though they were given food under controlled conditions and should therefore not have put on weight. The animals studied included dogs, cats, mice and monkeys. And when researchers studied rats in both urban and rural environments in the US, the result was the same.


http://sciencenordic.com/new-theory-co2-makes-you-fat

 

[Nintendesert]

Lol....

 

[bignateyk]

Sounds like a bunch of crap to me. Fatties are fat because they eat too much.

 

[sdifox]

maybe fat people breath more thus increasing the co2 concentration?

 

[Newbian]

I guess people will have to stop breathing to get rid of weight now.

 

[Atomic Playboy]

maybe fat people breath more thus increasing the co2 concentration?

You ever seen a fat person run up a flight of stairs? Well, no, of course not, because they'd never run unless a bacon-wrapped twinkie was on fire. But seriously, these people get winded riding an escalator. It's no wonder there's more CO2... It's all the ginormous gastropods.

Thanks Denmark.

 

[lxskllr]

maybe fat people breath more thus increasing the co2 concentration?

It's the panting at the Golden Corral food line :^D

 

[lozina]

“The normal theory is that fat people get fatter because they don’t move as much as they should,” says Hersoug, now a post-doc at the Research Centre for Prevention and Health at Glostrup University Hospital. “But the study showed that thin people also get fatter, and this happened over the whole of the 22-year period of the study.”

Flaw in logic?

Theory: Fat people get fatter because they dont move as much

Rebuttal: Study showed thin people also get fatter

Huh? What about the moving around part? Just about every fat person was thin at one point, unless you were a freak born fat and thats going to be some major genetic disorder. So what the hell does it matter if their study showed thin people also get fatter? The way I see it they took a bunch of thin people who were lazy and didnt move around much and they took on weight.

They didnt explain otherwise

 

[sdifox]

danish researcher one :so what are we going to do now that our climate change funding is cut?

danish researcher two : damn fast bastard cut our funding. I know, we'll make up a study of fat people and co2 emission. They'll eat it up, we publish some bullshit blaming global warming on the fat people.

danish researcher one : excellent! Let's do it!

 

[lozina]

Hehe next thing you'll read is an article about CO2 causing decreased penis size

 

[Mr. Pedantic]

CO2 may cause people to eat more, but I find it unlikely that it's because it's making people acidotic. Especially since everything I can find points to acidosis reducing appetite.

 

[darkxshade]

Global Fattening is real!

 

[Ninjahedge]

It may be a contributing factor, or just an indicator.

I will not live my life by it, or worry about it, but it is an interesting bar-type conversation starter.

 

[Joseph F]

*facepalm

 

[IGBT]

turns you into a taco bell goober.

 

[OverVolt]

This makes alot of sense physiologically to me. CO2 plays a huge role in your breathing and metabolism. You create CO2 through aerobic metabolism, so does high CO2 slow down your metabolism as a homeostasis mechanism?

Does it increase blood PH signaling your body falsely that you are burning up alot of energy? This is on top of some other study that just showed breathing city air versus country air increased obesity in rats who were fed the exact same controlled diet. Some cool stuff IMO, you guys are haters.

 

[OverVolt]

Global Fattening is real!

It has been real for awhile. You guys are dismissing it as global warming bullshit because it mentions CO2 but that is missing the point entirely.

Its about physiology. CO2 plays a role in your bicarbonate buffer, and is the main trigger for breathing instead of Oxygen in healthy people. This is a cool theory.

 

[Mr. Pedantic]

This makes alot of sense physiologically to me.

Not to me.

CO2 plays a huge role in your breathing and metabolism.

So? You could say the same about faeces, and I don't think anybody would attribute constipation as a cause for obesity.

You create CO2 through aerobic metabolism, so does high CO2 slow down your metabolism as a homeostasis mechanism?

Doubt it. Otherwise endurance athletes would literally keel over and die.

Does it increase blood PH signaling your body falsely that you are burning up alot of energy?

It has nothing to do with it. pH is regulated by kidney function and respiratory rate, not by metabolic activity.

This is on top of some other study that just showed breathing city air versus country air increased obesity in rats who were fed the exact same controlled diet. Some cool stuff IMO, you guys are haters.

Where? I'd like to read this article.

 

[BurnItDwn]

You ever seen a fat person run up a flight of stairs? Well, no, of course not, because they'd never run unless a bacon-wrapped twinkie was on fire. But seriously, these people get winded riding an escalator. It's no wonder there's more CO2... It's all the ginormous gastropods.

Thanks Denmark.

I'm over 300 and I always take the stairs, I run up the stairs on a semiregular basis, usually just 2 flights ... but there's no bacon or twinkies at the top.

 

[amddude]

Correlation does not equal causation?

 

[sdifox]

I'm over 300 and I always take the stairs, I run up the stairs on a semiregular basis, usually just 2 flights ... but there's no bacon or twinkies at the top.

turducken?

 

[OverVolt]

Okay the old point by point tactic...

Doubt it. Otherwise endurance athletes would literally keel over and die.

The article specifically mentions Orexins but I think if they follow the effects of CO2 we might learn a new mechanism or two.

It has nothing to do with it. pH is regulated by kidney function and respiratory rate, not by metabolic activity.

Right but according to this it would seem there is some sort of mechanism where high CO2 lowers metabolism. Considering CO2 is one of the basic products of aerobic respiration it makes sense. They also mention soda and beer carbonation which is interesting since both cause weight gain.

Where? I'd like to read this article.

A couple of articles are cool about this topic that I've seen...
http://dailycollegian.com/2009/11/05/umass-researcher-shows-link-between-air-pollution-and-obesity/

and

http://circ.ahajournals.org/content/119/4/538.short

I think it is very interesting how it all combines together very nicely. So both high CO2 and pollution particles in cities. Before they were only focusing on pollution particles and street pollution. CO2 probably also plays a role. There are other studies done with rats eating normal diets and the ones given polluted air gained more weight but couldn't find it. It does exist, just a variation of the second study, same conclusion.

 

[AMDZen]

Sounds like a bunch of crap to me. Fatties are fat because they eat too much.

Or because they don't exercise.

I eat less than everyone I know, and pretty healthy diet too. If anything I don't eat enough. I am still overweight because I am not active enough. I work so many hours and its so stressful that I don't have time to eat, and any time I'd have to exercise I don't take because what little time I have to myself I just want to sit my ass on the couch.

 

[BurnItDwn]

turducken?

Nah, no food at the top at all, just my cube ...

 

[sdifox]

Nah, no food at the top at all, just my cube ...

just messing with ya :biggrin: