Obesity: Human Survival

Metabolic Syndrome Linked To Cold Tolerance:

"More than 100 years ago, scientists noted that humans inhabiting colder regions were bulkier and had relatively shorter arms and legs. In the 1950s, researchers found correlations between colder climates and increased body mass index (BMI), a measure of body fat, based on height and weight.
Now, in a new study scientists have found a strong correlation between climate and several of the genetic variations that appear to influence the risk of metabolic syndrome, consistent with the idea that these variants played a crucial role in adaptations to the cold"

Well its about fricking time they came around to my way of thinking!! Although they are still saying that 'obesity' is being caused from 'over abundance' of food--not always true!

They do not note that 'obesity' is wide spread over the world...and that scientists are beginning to find less coorelation between obesity and ill health except in those 'grossly' obese. In fact they find that a good majority of 'obese' people are actually as healthy, if not more so, than their 'trim' counter parts.

They also do not mention that the earth's average temperature is actually getting slightly cooler (hmmm)...but they do mention such things as central air and better food availability....if they had mentioned this little tidbit they would have to conclude that perhaps, perhaps, we are going thru another evolutionary change to prepare use for a cold snap.

Perhaps our bodies have learned to make quick adaptions to weather--such as the Little Ice Age which struck in the 1800's...and the one that occured several centuries before that.
If this were the case then it would be a perfectly healthy thing that our bodies are storing extra food supplies to get thru the lean times of an extended winter.

Of course people...okay the health industry...wants to push as much as possible for that 'ideal' person that they think will be able to survive just about any castatophe--about 10-12% body fat--but it would not survive another ice age.

The fat layer keeps the body warm, it stores extra food supplies so the body does not enter starvation, and it will help protect the internal organs from external forces. There is also theory that it acts as a 'filter' for some harmful impurities as well.

Yes...I think we are going thru an evolutionary period.
But this of course will not be proved until after the fact.