More than a billion people obese worldwide, research suggests | Hacker News Reader

More than a billion people obese worldwide, research suggests

bbc.com

8 pointspaulpauper5 comments

I wonder if this is related to this:

https://www.nature.com/articles/s42255-023-00782-2

Obesity is caused by a prolonged positive energy balance1,2. Whether reduced energy expenditure stemming from reduced activity levels contributes is debated3,4. Here we show that in both sexes, total energy expenditure (TEE) adjusted for body composition and age declined since the late 1980s, while adjusted activity energy expenditure increased over time. We use the International Atomic Energy Agency Doubly Labelled Water database on energy expenditure of adults in the United States and Europe (n = 4,799) to explore patterns in total (TEE: n = 4,799), basal (BEE: n = 1,432) and physical activity energy expenditure (n = 1,432) over time. In males, adjusted BEE decreased significantly, but in females this did not reach significance. A larger dataset of basal metabolic rate (equivalent to BEE) measurements of 9,912 adults across 163 studies spanning 100 years replicates the decline in BEE in both sexes. We conclude that increasing obesity in the United States/Europe has probably not been fuelled by reduced physical activity leading to lowered TEE. We identify here a decline in adjusted BEE as a previously unrecognized factor.

Fewer infections can lower energy expenditure. I recall when I had Covid in 2022 I dropped 7 pounds easily whereas in the prior 2 weeks despite exercise I lost close to nothing.

Food is so calorie dense it's not that surprising obesity rates are so high. 400 calories for a pastry or frape and it's not even that filling.

I recently became part of this statistic after my lifestyle changed. I went from having a job that involved some walking around to 100% computer work, commuting with a car instead of public transport and not having time to cook. The worst thing is that beyond a certain point, it's hard to even motivate yourself. Losing 5kg can be done in a month. Losing 20 or 30kg realistically takes close to a year of serious restrain. People who blame fast food are only partially right. It's definitely an enabler because processed food just isn't as filling or nutritionally dense as "proper" home cooked meals. But the biggest difference is that unlike my great grandpa I don't have to toil in the fields most days and it's hard to convince yourself to expend that kind of effort during the little leisure time you have.

Really, this is the truth of it. I would love to be in better shape. I am not willing to sacrifice half of my free time a day, or alternating days, to do this. Then to get home and cook and clean and all that? I'd do nothing but chores, work, eat, work out, sleep, repeat. I have done what I can with calorie restrictions but now that it's not working anymore I'm just the weight and fitness that I am.

You guys should perhaps try something like liraglutide or semaglutide if you’re struggling. I honestly probably sound like a drug pusher… but… In 2018 my weigh peaked at 140kg’s or around 300lbs. I went on a very strict diet and lost in total 68kgs naturally without weight loss drugs or surgery. I completely turned my life around, and was on top of both my diet and fitness whilst also working a demanding full time job etc. It was incredibly difficult, it took concerted effort and months and months of consistency but I really turned my life around and enjoyed living at a normal healthy weight. Then 2020 happened, and I seemed to fall off the bandwagon. I, for whatever reason, struggled to maintain my loss. I by no means regained all the weight, but over the 4 years since 2020 I gained about 10-15kgs. Which is disappointing. Despite persisting with my exercise regime, I struggled to regulate my appetite. So… my dr prescribed saxenda, and I’ve personally experienced a profound disinterest in food, even on the lowest dose of 0.6mg. It’s just made it profoundly easy to make the right choice when it comes to food, and to not over eat. If I compared my previous weight loss effort to this, I would say the drugs are some kind of wizard sorcery when it comes to appetite regulation. I’ve not been on them long enough to boast substantial weight loss, but the fact that they’ve silenced the “food noise” I experienced is in itself a relief.

I guess the reason I’m sharing this is because as someone who used to be truely massive, I understand the struggle, however, these new GLP1 drugs mean it doesn’t have to be that hard. Unless there is legitimate medical reasons why a person can’t take it, I think people who struggle with weight should consider it. (That’s just my personal opinion, I know not everyone will agree.)

Thanks for sharing your story, this is really awesome.

The GLP1 class agonist of drugs (semaglutide, tirzepatide, liraglutide, exenatide, etc) are really amazing, they might be one of the biggest changes to come around this century.

> my dr prescribed saxenda, and I’ve personally experienced a profound disinterest in food, even on the lowest dose of 0.6mg. It’s just made it profoundly easy to make the right choice when it comes to food, and to not over eat.

I think this is one of the biggest positive effects. Rather than simply shedding the pounds for you, GLP1 RAs really empower the user to make better choices (and at least experience what life is like without "food noise")

> I guess the reason I’m sharing this is because as someone who used to be truely massive, I understand the struggle, however, these new GLP1 drugs mean it doesn’t have to be that hard. Unless there is legitimate medical reasons why a person can’t take it, I think people who struggle with weight should consider it. (That’s just my personal opinion, I know not everyone will agree.)

It is absolutely wild some of the takes I see, researching GLP1 (I write https://glp1.guide). While it doesn't work for everyone, the weight of the benefits versus the side effects is absurdly positively tilted.

The only thing I can hope for is that with all the formulations out there that price goes down and availability goes up as fast as safely possible.

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