Some etiological factors in obesity

The frequent occurrence of obesity, which is associated with shortened life expectancy, has made the condition a main topic of research. Simple explanations, such as a reliable correlation between overeating and overweight, are incorrect for the majority of the severely obese. Obesity goes hand in hand with increased lipogenesis, decreased fat mobilization, and metabolic inertia of the triglycerides deposited, which may be related to genetic enzymatic and hormonal factors. From rat studies, one can speculate that fat deposition may be influenced by the individual's reaction to qualitatively different foodstuffs. Although no explanation is as yet possible for the metabolic inertia of depot fat in the obese, some evidence has accumulated which suggests studies of its molecular structure. The obese are capable of adapting to decreased intake more rapidly than normal persons; increased activity can be handled more efficiently than in normal persons, while the metabolic inertia of their triglycerides interferes with their mobilization. No way of overcoming this vicious cycle has as yet been found.