Well that's fine, but at least read the info about obesogens and their mechanism of action (it is legit and there's substantial data about the hypothesis, in humans at least) before discounting that possibility (that endocrine disrupting chemicals are altering the epigenome, creating a generational impact on metabolism, among other mechanisms of action)
Wendee Wendee Nicole, M.S. Wildlife Ecology ~ Freelance Writer * Photographer * Bohemian Web: [ http://www.wendeenicole.com ] Blog: [ http://bohemianadventures.blogspot.com ] Twitter: twitter.com/bohemianone Email: [email protected] Write for magazines & get paid! Live your dreams! Online Classes start July 27 & Sep 7, 2013 On 7/15/13 10:19 PM, "malcolm McCallum" <[email protected]> wrote: >Maybe its just Cope's rule in action. >Mammals get bigger over evolutionary time... >(I don't really believe this, I suspect its just that we select the >stronger animals to keep and weed out the weaker ones, weaker ones >tend to be smaller, so there would be a general selection >[unintentionally] for larger animals due to their more rapid growth >allowing them to complete better at an earlier age forcing the less >competitive to be even less competitive. Even in captivity this will >happen!) > >On Mon, Jul 15, 2013 at 9:22 PM, Wendee Nicole <[email protected]> >wrote: >> The research shows despite no substantial changes in lab protocols over >>the past decades, there has been an increase in body weight for lab >>animals. >> >> Wendee >> >> Sent from my iPhone >> www.wendeenicole.com >> >> On Jul 15, 2013, at 8:03 PM, Hilit Finkler <[email protected]> >>wrote: >> >>> Obesity in lab animals? Is he serious? >>> They don't exercise live in cage 100-1000 time smaller than their >>>natural >>> habitats, are under terrible stress - need i go on? >>> >>> >>> On Mon, Jul 15, 2013 at 7:23 PM, Skylar Bayer <[email protected]> >>>wrote: >>> >>>> Hello Ecolog-L, >>>> I recently read this article about the trends of obesity world-wide. >>>>One of >>>> the points the author makes, >>>> >>>> "But such results don¹t explain why the weight gain is also occurring >>>>in >>>> species that human beings don¹t pamper, such as animals in labs, whose >>>> diets are strictly controlled. In fact, lab animals¹ lives are so >>>>precisely >>>> watched and measured that the researchers can rule out accidental >>>>human >>>> influence: records show those creatures gained weight over decades >>>>without >>>> any significant change in their diet or activities. Obviously, if >>>>animals >>>> are getting heavier along with us, it can¹t just be that they¹re >>>>eating >>>> more Snickers bars and driving to work most days. On the contrary, the >>>> trend suggests some widely shared cause, beyond the control of >>>>individuals, >>>> which is contributing to obesity across many species." >>>> >>>> He refers to lab animals in this statement, but he mentions industrial >>>> chemicals and BPAs that get into the environment (more than just urban >>>> areas, I presume) and other viruses and bacteria that may relate to >>>>weight >>>> gain/loss. >>>> >>>> My question is, has anyone here on this listserv, or know of anyone >>>>doing >>>> long term ecological studies on mammals or other vertebrates where >>>>weights >>>> are recorded? >>>> >>>> >>>> I am curious if these kinds of compounds, which must be leaked into >>>>certain >>>> systems, at the very least, have the same kind of "obesogen" effect on >>>> ecosystems outside an urban center. >>>> >>>> I'd love to hear what any of you think about the matter. >>>> >>>> The article: >>>> http://www.aeonmagazine.com/being-human/david-berreby-obesity-era/ >>>> >>>> Thanks! >>>> Skylar >>>> >>>> -- >>>> Skylar Bayer >>>> University of Maine >>>> School of Marine Sciences >>>> Graduate Student of Marine Biology >>>> >>>> Darling Marine Center >>>> 193 Clark's Cove Road >>>> Walpole, ME 04573 >>>> [email protected] >>> >>> >>> >>> -- >>> Hilit Finkler >>> PhD >>> Zoology and urban ecology >>> Tel Aviv University >>> Israel > > > >-- >Malcolm L. McCallum >Department of Molecular Biology and Biochemistry >School of Biological Sciences >University of Missouri at Kansas City > >Managing Editor, >Herpetological Conservation and Biology > >"Peer pressure is designed to contain anyone with a sense of drive" - >Allan Nation > >1880's: "There's lots of good fish in the sea" W.S. Gilbert >1990's: Many fish stocks depleted due to overfishing, habitat loss, > and pollution. >2000: Marine reserves, ecosystem restoration, and pollution reduction > MAY help restore populations. >2022: Soylent Green is People! > >The Seven Blunders of the World (Mohandas Gandhi) >Wealth w/o work >Pleasure w/o conscience >Knowledge w/o character >Commerce w/o morality >Science w/o humanity >Worship w/o sacrifice >Politics w/o principle > >Confidentiality Notice: This e-mail message, including any >attachments, is for the sole use of the intended recipient(s) and may >contain confidential and privileged information. Any unauthorized >review, use, disclosure or distribution is prohibited. If you are not >the intended recipient, please contact the sender by reply e-mail and >destroy all copies of the original message.
