Fat Cells Set In Adolescence
According to recent Swedish research the number of fat cells our bodies contain is set in childhood and can not be changed later in life. As people gain or lose weight, their fat cells swell and shrink, but do not change in number. There is even evidence that once a fat cell has enlarged when we gain weight, when we then lose weight, the fat cell "remembers" the good times and screams for more. Here is a link to the BBC story that alerted me to this.
As discouraging as this may seem, I think it actually points to two positive possibilities. The first is to an increased importance in eating a healthy diet. Everyone knows someone who is slightly overweight, but lives a long and healthy life. Obesity can lead to diabetes and other health issues, and is a dangerous health risk. But many studies have not been able to detect any difference in health or longevity between normal weight and slightly over weight people. The key may be the quality of your diet and lifestyle more than how much you eat.
The second positive possibility results from recent findings that, as adults, every year 10% of our fat cells die and are replaced by an identical number of new cells. The hope that some have is that science will figure out a way to prevent the dead fat cells from being replaced, maybe a pill to prevent fat cell regeneration. Can you imagine the potential long term problems that could cause? I think eating healthy food, not drinking soda, and leading an overall healthy lifestyle is the best approach to take. Maybe not the easy button fix to obesity many hope for, but perhaps the safest path to follow.
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