S1W1 Obesity and Energy Balance part 3

Question 1

Is having no subcutaneous fat good?

Answer 1

• no, having no subcutaneous fat = poor health
• there are some forms of genetic lipid dystrophy where individuals do not have body fat
• this can also be caused by certain drugs
• if you don’t have body fat, you will be diabetic insulin resistant, have elevated lipids, and have NAFLD (non-alcoholic fatty liver disease)

Question 2

Explain the evidence that shows that having no subcutaneous fat = poor health.

Answer 2

• experiment with mice by Gavrilova et al (2000)
• mice without subcutaneous fat were insulin resistant, diabetic, hyperlipidaemic, and have NAFLD (non-alcoholic fatty liver disease)
• surgical transplantation of subcutaneous adipose tissue reverses all metabolic derangements

Question 3

Explain why no subcutaneous fat = poor health

Answer 3

• because without subcutaneous fat there is nowhere for excess energy/lipids to be stored - becomes stored in places we don’t want it such as skeletal muscle, liver, in and around the heart (really bad for metabolic health)
• we want a healthy amount of fat stored in the right places
• a lot of metabolic diseases like type 2 diabetes are caused by dysregulated lipid metabolism and fat stored in the wrong areas

Question 4

How is obesity a burden to the economy?

Answer 4

• obesity contributes massively to a lot of diseases
• more obese people with poor health = extra medication costs and cost of procedures for NHS