Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1904-12-09
SCIENCE OF GROWING FAT.
Obesity Easy to Explain. but Very Hard
to Prevent.

OoC.iNy H@sey W hAPi"ihs bN' ''fy s'"'N
to Prevent
DR.. Edgar Thompson translates
from L'Union Mod for The Medical
Review the following as TO the cause
of obesity: AS general rule. obesi-
ty is more frequent in cold climates
than in hot The inhabitants of the
extreme north are very fat from
the great absorption of fatty foods,
oils, etc. This superabundance Of
food with the increasing use of al
cohol and moro indoor life Is favor
able TO the production of fat The
Inhabitants of the torrid zone, who
live on n soant fruit diet and exer-
else constantly in the open air, rarely
fatten.
All authorities agree that alimen-
tation plays a strong role in obesity,
but the opinions as to the particular
foods are not unanimous. In the
normal nutrition the fats intro
duced in the alimentary canal are
broken up into glyoerin and fatty
acids, and the greater part is oxi-
died in the organism, body heat
resulting from the com bustion. The
small amount which escapes i'm
mediate combustion accumulates in
the various tissues and constitutes
a reserve which can be utilized
when the supply of fat from with
out fails If the amount of foods
is uperabundant, or if their oxi-
dation is incomplete, tho equilib-
rum will be lost, and the fat will
accumulate in the cellular tissues,
causing obesity.
The inOrdinate uso of albuminoids
can contribute 10 obesity. Lean
meat gluttOns get fat. In the physi-
ology of nutrition the albuminoids
can be transformed into derivatives
identical with fats and hydrOcar-
bons. These fatty bodies arise when
more albuminoids are present than
can be completely oxidized into urea,
etc. The surplus is completely oxi-
died into the fats
Fat can also be formed from by
drocarbons (sugars) One part Is OK
idized in the organism, while the
rest is transformed into fat (Liebig).
Scion Beauniz explains the forma-
ton Of fat in connection with hydro
carbons In "a different way. He sug-
eests that the hydrocarb are not
changed into fat at all; but, being
moro easily oxidized than the fat IN
foods, thcy viii be taken up for conn
busti0n i'm preference to the latter,
and all Of ingested fat viii there
fore accumulate unchanged, produc
ING obesity.
Iheauthor concludes that all kinds
Of foods can produce f2t Beverages
can influence the depcsiting Of fat
tits generally admitted that water
taken in large amounts favors cor
pulcucy. Dancci treatment Of
obesity is to limit the water drank
by the patient The alcoholic obese
bloat is proverbial Alcohol causes
the accumulation of fat by limiting
It's oxidation The alcohol acts as an
easily combustible food and displaces
the fatty foods by reason Of its great
or affinity for oxygen. This habit
can be cause of obesity.
Lack of muscular exercise binders
the oxidation of the fats as we'll as
tho other nutritive metamorphoses.
Sedentary habits have similar eff
feet In the female, obesity has "a
close connection with certain phases
Of genital life. Some women fatten
Immediately after marriage, others
become obese after pregnancy, 9th
ers still after the menopause
Frequently obesity develops from
an accidental cause Change from
an active TO a sedentary life pro-
notes it. Sometimes it occurs after
an acute febrile disease, as pneu-
monia and typhoid fever. All those
nutritivo changes which hinder the
oxidation Of fats promote obesity.