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> searching for a malicious virus that somehow makes us obese or some other obscure reason is just overcomplicating the issue. Either there is a malicious viru

> searching for a malicious virus that somehow makes us obese or some other obscure reason is just overcomplicating the issue. Either there is a malicious virus contributing in some way to obesity, or there is not. Let the scientific evidence speak for itself. If that makes the issue more complicated than we'd like, then so be it.

pbhjpbhj 16y ago
>Either there is a malicious virus contributing in some way to obesity https://secure.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/wiki/Adenovirus_serotype_36 https://secure.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/wiki/Adenovirus_se... I know it's Wikipedia, but the information there suggests that there is a strong relationship [not necessarily causal] between carriers fo the virus and obesity. But, one can still be obese without it and one can be a carrier and not be obese so I don't think this obviates the obese carrier from responsibility even if a direct causal relationship is established.
- zeemonkee 16y ago
  Of course not. If I smoke, for example, I have a higher chance of getting cancer than if don't smoke; if I eat pizza all the day long instead of salad and don't exercise, I have a higher chance of becoming obese. However I may also never touch a cigarette in my life and still get cancer. I may exercise and eat reasonably well and still be overweight. Some people can smoke 20 a day all their lives and live to a healthy old age; some can eat like pigs and have a size 10 figure. My gut feeling (pardon the pun) is that obesity is mostly caused by the junk that goes into modern food, combined with a more sedentary lifestyle; but that's not to say there aren't a whole lot of other factors - genetics, environment, viral etc - that play a role.
Evgeny 16y ago
It is still not black and white, even if there is a contributing virus. What if, for example, the virus increases the chance to become obese by 0.25%? Or 0.025%? How serious should the counter actions be in this case, how much should be spent on searching for cure, compared, for example, with educating people on aspects of proper nutrition and physical exercise?

pbhjpbhj 16y ago

>Either there is a malicious virus contributing in some way to obesity https://secure.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/wiki/Adenovirus_serotype_36 https://secure.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/wiki/Adenovirus_se... I know it's Wikipedia, but the information there suggests that there is a strong relationship [not necessarily causal] between carriers fo the virus and obesity. But, one can still be obese without it and one can be a carrier and not be obese so I don't think this obviates the obese carrier from responsibility even if a direct causal relationship is established.

zeemonkee 16y ago
Of course not. If I smoke, for example, I have a higher chance of getting cancer than if don't smoke; if I eat pizza all the day long instead of salad and don't exercise, I have a higher chance of becoming obese. However I may also never touch a cigarette in my life and still get cancer. I may exercise and eat reasonably well and still be overweight. Some people can smoke 20 a day all their lives and live to a healthy old age; some can eat like pigs and have a size 10 figure. My gut feeling (pardon the pun) is that obesity is mostly caused by the junk that goes into modern food, combined with a more sedentary lifestyle; but that's not to say there aren't a whole lot of other factors - genetics, environment, viral etc - that play a role.

Evgeny 16y ago

It is still not black and white, even if there is a contributing virus. What if, for example, the virus increases the chance to become obese by 0.25%? Or 0.025%? How serious should the counter actions be in this case, how much should be spent on searching for cure, compared, for example, with educating people on aspects of proper nutrition and physical exercise?