According to an article, "Gut Check: Based on New Microbe Study, Should We Really Blame Geography for Obesity?" gut microbes may be the cause for human obesity. The author Brenden Buhler discusses a recent study by Taichi Suzuki, a grad student from UC Berkley. According to the article, firmicutes and bacteroidetes are the two governing microbes located in our gut microbiome. Gram negative bacterium tend to be more prominent in slimmer people. Suzuki's work consistently showed that the farther North people lived, the more they increase in size. The article does state that these microbes may not be the only factor contributing to human obesity, but could be a correlation.
I think this article has an interesting proposal, but agree with the fact that it can't be what is causing human obesity alone. It has become pretty obvious that if you eat right and exercise on a regular basis, you won't be obese- regardless of your gut microbes. Obesity, mainly in America, is the result of humans decrease in desire to exercise and increase in consumption of processed foods. It would be an interesting fact to see if over time our gut microbes have contributed to obesity because of our modern day habits. I am curious to know if gut microbes may have been a contribution to obesity two-hundred years ago.
While I have my opinion about what causes obesity, I do believe that this study has potential. New studies lead to new discoveries all the time. So, who knows, this study could lead to something great for human life!
Alana, this is a great argument! I agree that there are more reasons for being obese than just gut microbes. I am wondering if eating habits and change in lifestyle can alter gut microbes. Microbes are small and they can do a lot to benefit their host, but if they are overwhelmed with processed foods could they get damaged and destroyed? It seems that our lack of knowledge about how foods and other substances that we put into our bodies effects our gut microbes. It is hard to know what happens inside our bodies when we eat anything. Could it kill or alter gut microbes? Could it introduce new microbes that were on the food we were eating? This study has lots of unanswered questions but it is still a window of possibilities. Obesity has become a huge problem in our modern world and it might be nice to just alter somebody’s gut microbiome and make them healthy. This solution seems too easy though, it seems like there might be a bigger consequence that will come along with it. It will be very interesting to see where this research will end up.
ReplyDeleteThis is a recurring article, and I'm glad you brought it up! Obesity is a big problem here in the US and to know that gut microbes play a role in it might lead to more research and possibly a solution to obesity! Though, it should be with caution, experiments can also be done with gut microbes. It seems to have worked on rats, but human trials may have to play a role in order to get to the bottom of this.
ReplyDeleteThis article sounded extremely interesting, the idea of food not being a contributor and microbes be the cause is truly fascinating. As Diane discussed in class that certain microbes help to metabolize fat is truly intrigueing. What is we could harness their ability, and enhance it? Many proposals for how obesity affects some and not others is constantly introduced, simple go to answer of "not exerciseing" isnt working anymore, we are learning now that genetics play a role as well as microbes. Identifeing the problem is the first steps before comeing up with a solution.
ReplyDeleteWow, it is crazy to think that microbes can potentially play a part in the cause of obesity! I have heard of arguments that obesity may be hereditary and that our genes regulate how we capture, store and use energy. Now back to your topic, since your article mentioned that slimmer people have tend have more prominence of gram negative bacteria, did it say if people that are bigger in size have more protruding gram positive bacteria? Moreover, I wonder how living farther North makes tends to make someone bigger in size. I also agree with you that with a balanced diet and regular exercise, one wouldn't have to worry about obesity.
ReplyDeleteRecent articles have shown that U.S is getting in the rank of obesity. Higher than many years ago. I totally agree with your argument. There is more to obesity then just gut microbes. The way you eat and the amount of exercise you do is probably the bigger factor on whether or not you’re obese. Yet my question to this article is, Can your diet be a factor on your types of gut microbes? If scientist could test and looking to what kinds of food affects your gut microbes, it would be a small thing to help many obese people and get them somewhat healthy by altering their gut microbes. This article is great for further discoveries in the near future and further enhancing many possibilities on human life.
ReplyDeleteHi, I am a PhD student in Dr. Northup's lab. One thought that I had is if obese people have a different microbial flora in their gut prior to getting obese. Could you identify an individual that has an ideal weight that has a gut microbial flora similar to an obese person and then follow that person to see if they are more likely to become obese. Basically, does having a certain gut microbial flora make you more likely to become obese or does your gut flora change as you become obese.
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