With scientists reporting success on controlling mice and worms' weight by manipulating the skinny gene, aka the "adipose" gene, very soon you too can stuff yourself all day at eat-all-you-can buffets. No matter how much the animals ate, as long as the gene was activated, they remained skinny and healthy (sound familiar?).
The only catch (there's always one) is if the food runs out, their survival rate drops drastically compared to their fatty counterparts. As usual, this is years away from becoming effective at combating obesity, but it looks promising.
Some of you may have already begun your feasts, but watch how much popcorn you eat. One guy, Wayne Watson, got popcorn lung by eating a few packets of microwave popcorn a day for 10 years. That sounds excessive but I bet some of you finish a few bags of chips daily. Anyone? No?
It's the first time a consumer's been afflicted with bronchiolitis obliterans, aka popcorn lung, and it's been linked to diacetyl, that is used in the flavoring. His doctor, Dr. Cecile Rose, speculates that diacetyl fumes may be produced when popcorn is microwaved.
Testing showed that Watson's home did indeed have the same levels of diacetyl fumes as those found in factories (where some workers have gotten popcorn lung). And ever since he quit eating the popcorn, he's been feeling better.
So if you're lucky enough to have the skinny gene switched on (don't lie, you know who you are), don't worry and eat on, just maybe not popcorn.
[Source: BastionOfReality via digg]
[Source: AP]
Thursday, September 06, 2007
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