Obesity is often attributed to poor nutrition and lack of exercise. However, a recent study by an American scientist has uncovered that one potential cause of obesity may be… a virus!
As a leading expert in obesity research, Professor Nikhil Dhurandhar from the University of Louisiana presented his findings at the annual North American Obesity Society conference held in Western Canada. He pointed out several viral strains that rapidly proliferate in the fat tissues of animals, along with research revealing that many obese individuals have previously been infected with certain types of viruses. This suggests a possible link between obesity and viral infections.
According to studies, there are at least 10 types of viruses that can cause obesity in animals, such as the canine distemper virus, poultry viruses RAV1, MAM1, and skin cancer viruses AD5, AD36, AD37, among others.
After conducting nine years of experiments on monkeys, the professor concluded that a healthy monkey infected with the AD36 virus gained 15% of its weight within six months, while its cholesterol levels dropped by 30%. Even common bacteria can lead to obesity, as they discovered that mice infected with regular bacteria from another mouse suffering from gastrointestinal issues also gained weight.
Since the 1980s, Nikhil has been researching the relationship between obesity and viruses. When Western India experienced an outbreak of the MAM1 poultry virus, a friend of his noted that the infected chickens that died were all unusually plump. They conducted autopsies on the chickens and found that their livers and kidneys were enlarged, cholesterol levels were low, and their thymuses had shrunk.
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The virus was found in 30% of blood samples |
This observation sparked his curiosity to investigate whether viruses could affect human body shapes. Upon examining patients, he found that 20% of obese individuals had been infected with the MAM1 virus, leading to significant weight gain and a decrease in cholesterol levels, making them 20% heavier than those who were normally obese.
Subsequently, he collaborated with Professor Richard Atkinson at the University of Wisconsin in the United States. Due to a ban on importing infected poultry from India, they decided to use the skin cancer virus AD36 for their experiments. They tested this virus on chickens, mice, and monkeys, and the results showed that all test animals gained weight and had reduced cholesterol levels. Given the difficulty of conducting experiments on humans, they collected 500 blood samples from Wisconsin, Florida, and New York, and tests revealed that 30% of the blood samples from obese individuals produced antibodies against the AD36 virus, while only 11% of samples from individuals with normal weight had these antibodies.
This research suggests a need for a new perspective on obesity.
Traditionally, obesity has been blamed on overeating, lack of physical activity, or a lack of willpower to lose weight. However, increasing evidence indicates that the causes of obesity are complex, with viral infections being one contributing factor. Since individuals who are obese due to past viral infections may find it challenging to lose weight, the development of weight loss vaccines could be a crucial step in combating obesity in the future.
Tuyết Nhung (According to Xinhuanet)