Evening star., 1954-12-24
Fourth Of Americans
Are UnheoIthiIy Obese
Eating Too Mony ccIories
Is Bosie Cause Of Fctness
By Thomos 4. Henry

~ tu0WUS ~ Et0Ufy
Approximately fourth Of Americas
adult population Is sufiiciently over.
weight to impair health.
This = ! valid conclusion from actu-
arial statistics but the basic reasons for
getting fat and the real relationship
between obesity and fatal disorders re-
z main unknown. says DR.. w. II. Sebreli.
jr.. director OF the National Institutes
Of Health and one Of the c0untryS
foremost experts on nutrition.
Fatness seems to be especially asso-
ciated. he said. with high death rates
from diabetes. liver diseases. childbirth
and the heart-blood vessel-kidney
complications which now are leading
cause Of death among adults.
There is only one basic cause for fat
ness. Dr. Sebrell says eating too many
calories. Normal people. 1t has been
pointed out. probably possess . mech
anism. probably located In the part Of
the brain known as the hypothalamus.
which balances appetite against the
body's needs, But quite frequently ap-
parently this fails properly to function.
Overeating Causes Fatness.
''Those who undertake to lose weight
should bear In mind two points" DR..
SebreH told recent conference Of
pharmacists. Obesity is due simply
to overeating In terms Of calories. The
source, whether carbohydrate sugars
and starches). fat or protein. Is appar-
emily inmaterial. A martini cocktail
In excess of energy requirements. is Just
as fattening as two-inch portion Of
custard pie. In reducing the caloric in
take one should be especially careful
to prevent deficiencies Of vitamins. min
erals and proteins."
There has been much recent specula-
ton, DR.. Sebrell said, on the role Of fat
metabolism and arteriosclerosis, the
generally Is believed that the body's
fat-handling system plays notable
role. DIR. Sebrell explained: Deposited
cholesterol. fat-like substance. COM
tributes to the arterial thickening which
characterizes this disorder. Some ami
mails on high-cholestero diets develop
arterial LESSONS and abnormal choles-
terol bearing molecules have been
found In the blood Of sclerotic patients.
Observations on patients after weight
reduction have shown decline In cir
culating cholesterol of the type sus.
pected In this condition, but to what
extent the lower level is due to reduced
fat ingestion rather than reduction in
weight has not been determined.
Clearing Factor Identified.
4 Scientists at the National Institutes
of Health have identified q clearing
factor which diminishes the cloudiness
of blood occurring after q fatty meal.
In normal persons the blood clears
automatically within few hours but
in others this cloudiness persists pos
sibly leading to arteriosclerosis. The
clearing factor not only eliminates the
cloudiness but appears to break down
the suspected cholesterol-b -bearing mole-
cules.
"The fact, however, that the body
readily synthesizes cholesterol from
simple, ever-present substances COM
pels caution. B vitamins, amino acids
and other nutrients are involved in
cholesterol metabolism and various
ilttritional deficiencies affect its dispo-
sition. We do not know vet whether
the dietary level Of the substance Is Of
practical significance"
The best advice that now can be
offered for persons suffering from the
dreaded hardening of the arteries.
which with age probably comes to some
degree to everybody. Is to eat normal,
diet unless there are
complications preventing 1t. DR.. Sebrell
said Interference with the regular
regime. unless carefully considered. may
do more harm than good, he said.
It is certain. he said. that fatncss
and various diseases tend to occur to-
gether, but it cannot necessarily be
assumed. as something has been done
on the basis of animal experiments.
that one is the cause Of the other.
Both may be the result Of some un-
known common cause.