There’s more evidence that gaining weight might not just be a result of bad behavior over at LiveScience:
Obese children have a different population of microorganisms living in their intestinal tracts, compared with lean children, researchers have found. These microorganisms appear to accelerate the conversion of carbohydrates into fat, which then accumulates throughout the body, the researchers said.
The study is the first to find a connection between the gut microbiota and fat distribution in children. The gut microorganisms in obese children are similar to those seen in previous studies of obese adults, providing evidence that bacteria play a role in excess weight gain starting at an an early age.
It might be that different diets might be conducive to different gut microbiota. That was suggested by studies conducted by the Chinese (in studies that could only have been conducted by the Chinese). Or it might be congenital. Or we might learn that obesity is a communicable disease.
