Show "Fat Plague" Monday, 9.00pm, Ch 4

Dani UK · 01-02-2003, 06:37 PM

Hey all!

Just saw an ad on TV for the above show.

Radio Times says :

"Dr Nikhil Dhurandhar believes he has found a virus that could be making Americans obese, a revolutionary theory about which the scientific community is deeply sceptical. This film puts his theory to the test and screens both overweight and thin volunteers to assess whether they carry antibodies to the virus and whether it could have spread to the UK."

I think this is part of a series but am not sure. Be interesting to see what this "virus" is!!!!

Dani

STINA · 01-02-2003, 06:41 PM

Hi Dani,
im going to watch it too and it will be really interesting to see what they have to say. I'll have my reminder on so that i dont miss it.

helenquinn · 01-03-2003, 09:34 AM

I am really looking forward to it too. I saw the ads for it while sitting with dh last night and we both agreed that that couple were very brave to be filmed as they are big people. I couldnt show my wobbly bits on camera! The lady in the advert has a really pretty face! I cant wait to see this, I hope its very interesting.

Helen

katiwren · 01-03-2003, 01:51 PM

I've got to remember to watch this. Maybe someone with a better memory than me could post a reminder or something for us here? I always plan to watch things, then get distracted by something else I didn't really intend to watch. Is this just me? Or can I blame it onPCOS?

--KT

Eva35 · 01-03-2003, 07:33 PM

Hi

Thanks for reminding me!! Hope the tv is sorted by Monday then

Eva

Dani UK · 01-06-2003, 03:58 PM

Remember it's tonight ladies!!!!

Dani

jojo24 · 01-06-2003, 07:56 PM

I have one thing to say about that program .....

I want to be screened!!!!!!!!!!

lol but seriously why has it taken so long for them to even consider the possibility? DOH!!!!

I also wonder if in the women they tested ...did they have pcos too? as it seems to me that the figgures for pcos women has also increased very quickly !

ya never know the two could be linked

love and kisses jo x x x xx x x

mg79 · 01-06-2003, 09:25 PM

I guess I'll give the first review.

I was really interested in this program from the preview, but I have to say I was really disappointed. I really wanted to turn it off half way through, but felt I should watch it all so I was sure I didn't buy what he was saying.

I do believe he has evidence to support this virus does cause some change to pre-fat cells, but he does not know to what extent and for how long AD-36 causes increased fat in the body. I think that for now, this research shouldn't be thought of as a cause to obesity.

I also think that some of the people who were tested on the show were looking for an excuse as to why they were overweight so they wouldn't have to take some of the responsibility for it.

I, myself, am overweight, but I know that I am the reason for that. I know what I need to do to slim down, but I don't do it. There is no point in blaming someone else or some virus for that matter. I know that PCOS contributes to weight gain, but that is not a reason for me to remain overweight. I read the success stories on this board and know that I am only overweight because I chose to be. I chose that by not exercising and not eating right.

I know that weight loss is different for everyone. I do not wish to offend anyone. I think I am just disgusted with myself right now. I am the only roadblock in my quest for weight loss and I shouldn't be. I hope that no one takes what I've said in the wrong way.

Kind regards,

Mary

ps Can you tell I've already broken my new year's resolution?

Aggs · 01-06-2003, 11:29 PM

I was a bit disappointed with the programme too. It wasn't at all what I was expecting. The Bollywood stuff just seemed to be taking the piss out of it all.

What also strikes me as weird is the fact that this Dr has had so much trouble getting anyone remotely interested in his research. You would have thought that somebody like McDonald's would be interested in funding something like this, particularly since they are starting to be sued for being the cause of individual's obesity!

I agree that some of the people tested (mostly the women) seemed to be looking for an excuse for their obesity, but there were others who were honest enough to say that they were just greedy!

I am surprised that we hadn't heard about this research before and will be watching out for more information on it.

katiwren · 01-07-2003, 04:52 AM

I thought it was interesting, but no where near conclusive yet. I do think that if the research was in a less popular area, this programme, based on as yet fairly inconclusive research, would never have been made.

There was no real evidence presented for how the virus would cause obesity. Saying that it appears to target pre-fat cells does not really explain this. It is also possible that being obese somehow pre-disposes you to being infected by the virus. The link between this virus and obesity does not appear to be established at all, let alone causality.

I actually kind of liked the Bollywood bit. I mean, this wasn't really a serious scientific piece of journalism. It provided a light way of conveying the points.

The thing about this is, even if the virus is proven to cause obesity, less than half of the obese people screened had antibodies. That means that there still must be another cause for obesity in the rest of us. I think that looking for a single cause for obesity is a bit like looking for a single cause for fever. There are many, many different causes, and I believe that ultimately obesity can be tracked back to too much food in the vast majority of cases.

Well, that's my opinion.

--KT

helenquinn · 01-07-2003, 06:54 AM

I agree with Aggs - the Bollywood stuff was taking the piss.

However, I was interested in the part about the twins, remember the girls one had it and she was 2 stone heavier than her twin sister! How could that have happened to her?

I would agree with the theory but of course he has not found a solution to the problem and who ever does will be a trillionaire over night!

One man did admit he was obsese cos he was greedy - why eat 1 hob nob when you can eat the packet! I felt really sorry for the woman who was stuck in her car and her husband was angry with her!

I also agree with jojo could it be also linked to PCOS! Interesting theory!

Its an neverending story really!

Helen

Looking forward to the wife swapping program tonight! I think there will be sparks flying there!

katiwren · 01-07-2003, 07:50 AM

Helen,

I don't think that the twin thing proved anything. They didn't do or say anything to say that the lifestyles of the twins were still the same since going to college, and the twins themselves said that was when the weight changed. In the States, the "freshman 15" (puuting on 15 lbs when you go away to college) is notorious. I'd feel like the twin thing meant more if there had been any real attempt to show that they still have the same eating and exercise habits. All that was said was that they weighed the same while growing up, when they did eat the same.

I also think that most of the increase in PCOS diagnoses recently is due to the disease/disorder/syndrome (pick your term) being more recognised. Doctors can't diagnose what they don't know exists.

--KT

helenquinn · 01-07-2003, 08:41 AM

Point taken KT

It seemed interesting to me about the twin aspect and it would have been good if it had explored it more - especially on that particular set of twins!

I am looking forward to the next program next Monday night!

Helen

Dani UK · 01-07-2003, 12:25 PM

I was very disappointed with the show. I agree with the others that said that it was being used as an excuse for some people to justify the fact that they were overweight.

I also don't understand that if this virus originated in India (or wherever the chicken farm was), why did it spread so quickly in the US, UK and Western countries, as opposed to India. Maybe the different sorts of lifestyles had something to do with it? But was that mentioned?

I am looking forward to tonight's show about the family-swapping thing. I can see tempers flying there.

As for AD-36, I hope they do more research.

Take care all,
Dani

helenquinn · 01-07-2003, 07:33 PM

What did you think of the "wife swapping" programme! I would dearly love to have smacked that girl Mary - she was such a whiner! Dee likeed to shout though didnt she? lol

I didnt much care for Lance though and I dont think Sonia's daughter liked him much either!

What do you think?

Helen