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Fat Men Can't Think?

By Jennifer Warner
WebMD Medical News Reviewed By Brunilda Nazario, MD
on Wednesday, March 05, 2003

March 5, 2003 -- Hey guys, need a good reason to stay in shape? A new study reveals that being overweight can lower your intelligence.


Previous research has already shown that obesity-related conditions, like high blood pressure and heart disease, can reduce brain power. But this is the first study to show that obesity alone can lower your smarts.


"We were a little bit surprised when saw the data," says researcher Merrill Elias, MPH, PhD, research professor of epidemiology in mathematics and statistics at Boston University. "The results indicated that persons who are chronically obese have a higher risk of [lowered mental ability] -- all other things being equal."


The study, published in the February issue of the International Journal of Obesity, found that obesity works independently -- as well as in conjunction with other risk factors -- to cause a decline in thinking ability, especially memory and learning.


Researchers say the results are especially disturbing in light of statistics that show the U.S. is facing an "epidemic of obesity" among both adults and children.


According to the CDC, nearly 20% of American adults -- about 40 million -- are obese, defined as having a body mass index (BMI, a measure of weight in proportion to height) of 30 or above. For example, a 5-foot 8-inch adult weighing more than 196 pounds would be considered obese according to the BMI scale.


In the study, researchers analyzed information gathered from 551 men and 872 women over an 18-year period during the Framingham Heart Study, which began in 1948, and looked at how obesity and high blood pressure affected scores on mental performance tests over time.


They found that obesity and high blood pressure -- both alone and in combination -- had a negative effect on brain function in men but not in women.



Researchers say men may be more vulnerable because they tend to accumulate fat in their midsection rather than in other parts of the body. Previous studies have shown that this type of apple-shaped fat distribution carries a much higher degree of health risks than the pear-shaped fat distribution commonly found in women.


The study didn't examine possible explanations for the decline in mental ability associated with obesity, but Elias says several factors might play a role. For example, the study participants may have suffered from heart disease risk factors that were undetectable 50 years ago, which were not accounted for by the study.


But he also says that other social and psychological factors associated with obesity and overeating, such as depression and anxiety, may have also affected the decline in brain function found by the study.


Other experts say that obesity may damage brain function by making it harder for blood to reach the brain, similar to high blood pressure and heart disease.


"I would think obesity would work through the same heart disease mechanisms, recalling that obesity is now a major modifiable risk factor for heart disease," says Charles Billington, MD, associate director of the Minnesota Obesity Center.


Billington says there has been very little information on the link between obesity and mental ability, but the results are not at all surprising considering the strong association between obesity and other chronic illnesses, including high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and diabetes.


Men who value their intelligence will want to keep a normal weight, Billington tells WebMD. "I have a high desire to maintain my ability to think well as I get older, and I would assume others would feel the same."



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SOURCES: International Journal of Obesity, February 2003. "Obesity Trends," CDC web site. Merrill Elias, MPH, PhD, research professor of epidemiology in mathematics and statistics, Boston University. Charles Billington, MD, associate director, Minnesota Obesity Center.

Darth Pounder wrote:This article is bullshit. I happen to weigh not far off 16 stone but i have an IQ of over 150. The problem is assumption is the mother of fuckups and these assholes assume way to much.

J.K. Rowling wrote:"...I'd say the biggest key to the books' popularity is their appeal to so many groups. People thought in the beginning that these stories would be popular only with preteen girls, but we've seen now that they are quite popular with effiminate boys and simple-minded adults, those with very, very low IQ's. And of course, the pedophiles. It's a funny story, though, because we were quite surprised to see how successful the books became in America, because I didn't know that many people in America could read. But I guess when you're that fat, there are only so many activities available to you. Just remember, America. You cannot eat the books. "

Simon H.Johansen wrote:Ever heard of brain-to-body weight ratios??

Asst. Asst. Lt. Cmdr. Smi wrote:

Simon H.Johansen wrote:Ever heard of brain-to-body weight ratios??

Yes, but what does that have to do with anything? How will putting on 100 pounds hamper your brainpower?

ArmorPierce wrote:okay..., done with your lil rant? I don't think that all blondes are dumb, just the good looking ones.