4 ms·

The number of fat cells becomes fixed by the end of adolescence. As a child, fatty cells proliferate, but remain rather small. Your daily food as a kid influenc

The number of fat cells becomes fixed by the end of adolescence. As a child, fatty cells proliferate, but remain rather small. Your daily food as a kid influences how many cells you'll end up having as an adult. Kids nowadays have a horrible diet of sugary drinks and fatty pseudo-chocolate treats. Fat cells are very much involved in total body weight control, both through enzymes and by hosting lipid-soluble hormones in their oil droplets. So an adult having a lot of fat cells is at a disadvantage in a McBurger world.

a-priori 18y ago
"The number of fat cells becomes fixed by the end of adolescence." Uh, reference? I think you're wrong there. From what I remember, new fat cells grow when weight is gained, and are "deflated", but mostly survive, when weight is lost.
- attack 18y ago
  He's probably thinking of human muscle cells.
  - flipbrad 18y ago
    no - he's absolutely correct. this was discovered earlier this year, IIRC. cf: http://www.the-scientist.com/blog/display/54629/ http://www.the-scientist.com/blog/display/54629/
    - randallsquared 18y ago
      This suggests that liposuction is actually an important step if you want to keep fat off.
      - flipbrad 18y ago
        not necessarily. if the body can somehow keep count, it may just replace the cells you remove. I'm not sure we know for certain either way yet.
        randallsquared 18y ago
        My guess would be that that won't happen any more than limbs get regrown. Of course, my guess is pretty worthless. :)
        attack 18y ago
        Answer: http://www.nytimes.com/2008/05/05/health/research/05fat.html?_r=1&oref=slogin http://www.nytimes.com/2008/05/05/health/research/05fat.html... > Losing or gaining weight affects only the amount of fat stored in the cells, not the number of cells. BUT > Every year [..] 10 percent of your fat cells die [...] and are replaced with new fat cells. So, fat people aren't at a disadvantage by having far more cells.
        flipbrad 18y ago
        your skin certainly knows where and when to (re)grow...

a-priori 18y ago

"The number of fat cells becomes fixed by the end of adolescence." Uh, reference? I think you're wrong there. From what I remember, new fat cells grow when weight is gained, and are "deflated", but mostly survive, when weight is lost.

attack 18y ago
He's probably thinking of human muscle cells.
- flipbrad 18y ago
  no - he's absolutely correct. this was discovered earlier this year, IIRC. cf: http://www.the-scientist.com/blog/display/54629/ http://www.the-scientist.com/blog/display/54629/
  - randallsquared 18y ago
    This suggests that liposuction is actually an important step if you want to keep fat off.
    - flipbrad 18y ago
      not necessarily. if the body can somehow keep count, it may just replace the cells you remove. I'm not sure we know for certain either way yet.
      - randallsquared 18y ago
        My guess would be that that won't happen any more than limbs get regrown. Of course, my guess is pretty worthless. :)
        attack 18y ago
        Answer: http://www.nytimes.com/2008/05/05/health/research/05fat.html?_r=1&oref=slogin http://www.nytimes.com/2008/05/05/health/research/05fat.html... > Losing or gaining weight affects only the amount of fat stored in the cells, not the number of cells. BUT > Every year [..] 10 percent of your fat cells die [...] and are replaced with new fat cells. So, fat people aren't at a disadvantage by having far more cells.
        flipbrad 18y ago
        your skin certainly knows where and when to (re)grow...