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From Bloomberg...Obesity May Be Blamed on Medicine, Air Conditioning, Study Says
2006-06-27 00:04 (New York)

By Ryan Flinn
June 27 (Bloomberg) -- The growing problem of obesity in the
past three decades could be attributed to an increase in anti-
depressants, air conditioning and the declining number of
smokers, according to a study.
These factors are among 10 listed by researchers who want
the public and other academics to examine reasons for the rapid
surge in obesity since 1970. They said too much attention has
been paid to the ``Big Two'' -- food-marketing practices and a
decline in physical activity.
``What we refer to as the `Big Two' are not the overall
major causes of obesity, and certainly are not the sole causes,''
said one of the study's authors, David Allison, from the
University of Alabama at Birmingham. ``There are multiple other
causes likely to be important.''
The report, published today in the International Journal of
Obesity, cited a study that found no association between obesity
and proximity to fast-food restaurants in more than 7,000
children. The report also said Pathways, a large childhood
obesity prevention program that emphasizes physical education
classes, had no effect on body mass index rates, a method for
measuring size.
Allison said another factor that merits attention includes
the increase of psychotropic medications such as anti-psychotics,
anti-depressants and mood stabilizers, as well as contraceptives
and antihistamines, all of which can cause weight gain.

Air Conditioning

An increase in air conditioning also could be an important
aspect to the increase in obesity. Mammals burn energy keeping
their bodies within a certain temperature range, so the more we
live and work in temperature-regulated environments, the less
likely we are to expend energy. People also eat less when they
are too warm.
``Yesterday in Alabama, it was 100 degrees,'' Allison said
last week in an interview. ``If you were here in 1960, with no
air conditioning in a car or restaurant, you probably wouldn't
want to go to the all-you-can-eat buffet.''
Other causes listed in the report include adults getting
less sleep, mothers giving birth later in life and an increase of
endocrine disruptors, or industrially produced materials such as
PCBs, DDT, and other pesticides, in the environment.
Further research shows smokers weigh less than non-smokers,
and that people who quit smoking gain weight. Not that the
Allison thinks people should take up smoking, quit their
medications, or spend their summers sweating.
``I haven't made any personal changes,'' he said. ``This
isn't the kind of paper where I would say the public should run
out and take personal action.''
Allison's goal is to generate additional research in these
areas and prompt people to question decisions to spend tax money
on public policy programs to reduce obesity without solid
evidence.