Obesity can be caught like a cold

In their studies of the nature of obesity, scientists sometimes come to unexpected conclusions. American researchers have found that obesity can be transmitted through airborne droplets, just like a cold, for example.

According to specialists from the Pennington Medical Research Center in the US state of Louisiana, a person may not even realize that he has begun to gain weight due to the fact that he has become infected. This happens “thanks” to the fact that the adenovirus, which is transmitted through coughing or unwashed hands, causes fat cells to divide more intensively, thus leading to weight gain.

A sign that a person has become a victim of an adenovirus infection is often irritation of the visual organs, accompanied by redness and lacrimation. The adenovirus also penetrates the upper respiratory tract, causing copious nasal discharge. An adenovirus attacks the body's systems that provide it with protection from viruses and infections.

A study using chickens and mice showed that infection with an adenovirus has such a “side effect” as rapid weight gain. Scientists found that when consuming the same amount of food, chickens and mice infected with the virus gained weight faster than healthy ones. If we consider that the adenovirus, which can make a person suddenly gain weight, is transmitted through coughing or unwashed hands, it turns out that the tendency to obesity can indeed be contagious in the same way as a cold. American studies show that among fat people, a third are carriers of the virus, and among thin people, only 11% are infected with it.

Source: www.medikforum.ru