The study accomplished what it set out to accomplish. A need for more research on the subject of childhood obesity.
The present results may indicate a further increase in the genetic effect, but longitudinal studies across the full span of childhood and adolescence are needed before definite conclusions can be reached.
Research is funny. 90% of it is bunk. Why????
FUNDING!!!
See, college professors need grant money. They also need to be consistently doing research to get tenure, or whatever else is important to researching professors. So actual research is done like this.
1. We want to do research to find out a certain thing.
2. We need to do a lot of studies in order to keep our grant money coming in.
3. So we will research tons of things that are "around" the main thing we are looking to find out.
4. Now we can do 2X as many studies on the same topic.
5. It takes years to get to the studies that actually matter, but at that point the "prestigious researchers" have secured grants as well as an on going reputation for doing lots of research.
How do these studies get into research journals??
The "peers" also need the same type of studies to be published in journals. It is simply a matter of "honor amongst thieves" if you will.
During those years the "practitioners" in the industry have found the answers through real time involvement and observation. So, much of the research is generally outdated by the time anything that matters comes out.
The best information from the fitness industry, and the general health field, comes from people who are "in the trenches" so to speak and are actually applying the information that they learn.
The best research done in the health and fitness fields (figured I would stick with fitness given that this is a fitness forum) was done in eastern block European communist countries. Why??? The goal of their research was to be able to win gold medals in the Olympics. With a specific performance goal and a time line to do better in 4 years, the proper motivation was there to make real scientific progress.
As far as genetics and obesity go there are only a few possible explanations.
1. More people in first world countries have the "obese" gene than other countries. Which, to me, seems unlikely.
2. Basic genetics (obesity, strength, and other large and modifiable abilities) can be changed in FAR fewer generations than people think. So 1 or 2 generations of people living in the "fast food" world are able to modify the genetics for increased body-fat in future generations. And I Quote -
Genetic influences on BMI and abdominal adiposity are high in children born since the onset of the pediatric obesity epidemic.
hhhhhmmmmmmmmmmm........
3. Genitics are not different today than they were 50 years ago. The activity level is much lower and the consumption of "crappy" food is much higher.
Personally I believe it is a combination of #2 and #3.
I figured I would put in my 2 cents and shed some light on the whole "research" thing.
Food for thought. Thanks for reading.
