Timothy A' Gilbertson, Ph'D'

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Timothy A. Gilbertson, Ph.D. Biology The Center
for Integrated BioSystems Utah State University
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• OBESITY
• the epidemic of obesity
• the cost of obesity
• the causes of obesity
• the cure and
• why doesnt it work ?
• TASTE BUDS OBESITY
• the role of taste - a good system gone awry ?
• the taste of fat
• the particular problem of fat
• how can we control this ?

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Obesity Trends in the U.S. a 20-year
retrospective
1985
RESOURCE CDC
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1986
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1987
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1988
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1989
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1990
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1991
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1992
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1993
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1994
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1995
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1996
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1997
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1998
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1999
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2000
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2001
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2002
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2003
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2004
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Why the concern over the rise in obesity?
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"Despite obesity having strong genetic
determinants, the genetic composition of the
population does not change rapidly. Therefore,
the large increase in . . . obesity must
reflect major changes in non-genetic factors."
Hill, James O., and Trowbridge, Frederick L.
Childhood obesity future directions and research
priorities. Pediatrics. 1998 Supplement 571.
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CAUSES OF OBESITY
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OBESITY a simple cure
If gt 1 ? gain weight If lt 1 ? lose weight
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LIFESTYLE CHOICE OBESITY
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(No Transcript)
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Thrifty Gene Hypothesis Natural selection
favored the survival of those individuals who
could store as many calories as possible, then
burn them as slowly as possible JV Neel, 1962
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gene
PATHWAY TO SUCCESS
applies to any nutrition-related disorder
molecule
protein
cell
tissue/organ
behavior
from the lab bench to treatment
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• Dietary Preference in OM S5B Rats

Redrawn from Okada et al. Am. J. Physiol
262R1111, 1992
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• What can we learn
• from rats ?

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(No Transcript)
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• Is there hope in the fight against obesity ?

The Surgeon Generals Call to Action to Prevent
and Decrease Overweight and Obesity 2001
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• Is there hope in the fight against obesity ?

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Nanomedicine
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• Is there hope in the fight against obesity ?

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• Is there hope in the fight against obesity ?

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