Discussion post
Obesity is a major cause for concern. It is associated with higher risks of heart disease, stroke, type 2 diabetes, and certain kinds of cancer. US obesity rates have continued to rise; the CDC states that more than 40% of adults were obese in 2017-20181. In short, weight management is a topic of high interest. With that in mind, click on the following link, and read the Science Direct article titled “Scientists claim that overeating is not the primary cause of obesity.”
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2021/09/210913135729.htm
Once you have read the article, respond to ALL the following points:
Identify the new hypothesis for how obesity develops and briefly describe it, comparing it to the old hypothesis.
Evaluate the following statement in terms of the relationship (if any) between overeating and obesity: “During a growth spurt, for instance, adolescents may increase food intake by 1,000 calories a day. But does their overeating cause the growth spurt or does the growth spurt cause the adolescent to get hungry and overeat?”
Briefly discuss the role of carbohydrates in providing the body with energy and consider why the body would prefer to store excess carbs as fat instead of using them right away. Be sure to include the following terms: glucose, triglycerides, ATP, cellular respiration, and adipose tissue.
Design an experiment to test the new obesity hypothesis. Remember that in science we seek to disprove, not prove, a hypothesis. Include a testable prediction from the new hypothesis, your experimental set up (test subjects, materials, location, etc), your experimental variable, and your controlled variable. Mention if you will need to use a control group and justify why or why not.
