Bad Bacteria Makes People Fat

Scientists have found a form of bacteria found in large doses in obese people and not in skinny people. Right now it is not totally proven if the bacteria causes fatness or if fatness causes more of the bacteria to grow. The bacteria Firmicutes may cause infectobesity. In future the newest diet pills may kill specific bacteria that causes fat gain & adding good bacteria that causes fat loss.

Tests on Mice show when they are loaded with bacteria called Firmicutes and low in another bacteria called Bacteroidetes they get twice as fat as other Mice on the same diet.

Common sense dictates that having the right kind of bacteria will make you healthier. You can do this already by picking up a good Pro-biotic that can withstand room temperatures. Many pro-biotics that need to be refrigerated have already died before they even get to the store shelves.

http://microbioresearch.blogspot.com/2008/07/overweight-blame-bacteria-in-your-gut.html

2/3 of Americans Are Too Fat

Nearly 2/3 of Americans are too fat or obese. Most Americans are overweight according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The amount of people being overweight has nearly doubled from 1980 to 2000. Fat people are guilty for over 1/4 of our medical cost increases from 1987 to 2001.

“People in charge of benefits plans completely, 100 percent get it,” said LuAnn Heinen, director of the Institute on the Costs and Health Effects of Obesity, an offshoot of the National Business Group on Health. It is also clear, she said, that top executives are very interested in health benefit costs. But, she added, “their perception of obesity as a driver of costs — they may not understand that as well.”

When employees take an active role in their health maintenance available from their employers they experience 18% less sick days than their unhealthy coworkers.
NY Times Article: Waistlines Expand Into a Workplace Issue