Watch out, fat is catching!

New study results bolster the controversial hypothesis that certain cases
of obesity are contagious. Over the last 20 years, some research has suggested
that certain strains of human and avian adenoviruses--responsible for ailments
ranging from the chest colds to pink eye--actually make individuals build up
more fat cells.

Now in a way it's good news to find out that some obesity is caused by a virus, in that someday perhaps there will be an anti-viral treatment for it, and then those people will just be normally fat. In another way, it's bad news because I can just imagine everyone going around saying, "Well it's not my fault, I've got the fat virus." And then being my usual truth-loving self, I'll say "Do you also have the lazy, bad-eating habits virus?" That will probably win me no more friends than I have, but hey, somebody has to say it (and I'm no hypocrite; I've got extra poundage but I'll own up that it's mostly my fault).

Anyway, my point is that obesity is a real problem and threat to people's health. It's good for us to understand it, but there's not going to be any quick solutions, virus or no virus. Remember our earlier post about poor people's eating habits causing them to be overweight? That's the real problem. Let the scientists research obesity to no end, we know that the real problem is the food people eat (and our sedentary lifestyle). If you don't believe that, you need to watch Super Size Me. Morgan Spurlock did a great job with this movie, especially in demonstrating that Americans by and large have terrible eating habits. What's worst is that we're teaching them to kids in school. Fight the power! Fight the fat!