The Relation of Adipocytes and Obesity

When comparing the effects the same dieting method has on different people, some people will get results while others don’t. This is related to our adipocytes, or fat cells, which are a main factor in obesity. When looking at adipocytes through a microscope, we see three different ways they can contribute to weight gain.

1. There are an increased number of cells.
2. Each cell increases in size but the number of cells stays the same.
3. Both the number of cells and size of each cell increases.

It is said that the number of cells increase during the fetal period, infancy and adolescence. Once the number of cells increases, they cannot change after reaching adulthood. This is why those who were overweight as children are more susceptible to regaining that weight even after becoming skinny. It is clear that since they have a large number of large fat cells, they have a harder time losing weight. This is why it is so important to prevent childhood obesity.

Most obese people have inactive sympathetic nerves

Those who do not exercise much look for available seats when they get on trains. They want to use the escalator or elevator instead of the stairs. They have magazines, newspapers, the TV remote control, sweets, fruit and tissues, basically everything they could possibly need, within reach of their sofa. These are the types that are likely to use little energy in their daily lives. If they continue such a low energy lifestyle, their muscles, which contribute to our basal metabolism in consuming energy, become weak. As a result, their body will become one that stores more fat. We call this the MONA LISA hypothesis, which stands for Most Obesities kNown Are Low In Sympathetic Activity. The basis is that most people become obese because their sympathetic nerves become dull. If they continue their inactive lifestyle, their sympathetic nerves become duller.

When our world wasn’t as automated, we had no choice but to be more active. Nowadays we can accomplish many things without moving as much. Though exercise does not consume a lot of energy, without moving our body, all the energy will be stored in the body as fat. It is important to remember how people used to live a long time ago to see why we need to reserve time for exercise now.

Why Eating Fast Causes Us to Gain Weight

Our appetite is controlled by our satiety and feeding centers in our brain. Once food is in the stomach, glucose in the blood increases. Then, blood-sugar and insulin increase. This stimulates the satiety center which makes us feel full. At the same time, while we feel full, the feeding center becomes inactive which tells us to stop eating. When we become hungry, the feeding center becomes active again and we want to eat.

It takes us 15 to 20 minutes to start feeling full after we start eating. Therefore, those who eat fast eat too much before they feel full. When they continue this, they cannot exactly feel when they are full or hungry, causing them to eat food while they're not hungry.

Those who usually finish eating first should try to keep the same pace as others. This will work not only to stop overeating but also makes those eating with you feel more comfortable. It is also more polite this way. When you eat food alone, it is recommended to put the fork and knife down each time you put food in your mouth. Please bare in mind that fast eating should be avoided when dieting.