CFL’s are both a positive and accomplishable feat, making both economical and ethical sense. But still our culture debates and stalls.
As we stall and debate even the most accessible and feasible options for reducing our carbon dioxide emissions our limited time to take action is becoming ever shorter.
Over the last two decades the incidence of obesity has risen dramatically and the associated physiological affects are becoming a global health crisis. Dr. Atkins is the Director of studies at the Baylor College of Human Genome Experiment center (HUGE), and he states:
“The society that we live in is dominated by sedentary pursuits and convenience foods, creating a society with a lifestyle professionals have come to call ‘obesegenic’. You almost have to fight against gaining weight as opposed to having an overall environment that helps keep you at a healthy weight.”
The term ‘obesegenic’ has recently emerged to describe lifestyle factors that contribute to chronic weight gain. The obesegenic factors have been evolving since the late twentieth century and have become even more pronounced in our current society. The major obesegenic factors include: a reduced amount of exercise, the increased consumption of pre-prepared foods containing excessive sugars, fats, and salt, the reliance on the automobile, the prevalence of computer use for social, work and entertainment needs, and a pronounced rise in sedentary entertainment such as passive television viewership and the popularity of video game systems.
As reported in the New York Times, those suffering from the health affects of the obesegenic lifestyle are more prone to diabetes, heart disease, depression, arthritis, back pain and sleep apnea than their peers. Not surprisingly then, are the studies that indicate that those suffering from chronic obesity demand more of the health care system, accounting for an unproportional amount of medical expenditures by employers and health insurance providers.
More concerning is the fact that our children have become victims of the obesegenic lifestyle. The Public Health Agency estimates that more than one-third of children between the ages of two and eleven are overweight, half of them fit into the "obese" category. Thus it is undeniable that as our society continues to lead the obesegenic lifestyle a global health crisis in the form of an obesity epidemic is going to emerge and expand.
In an effort to curtail the immense social and personal costs inherent in the emerging obesity epidemic Dr. Atkins is partnering with Dr. Sanders of the Fundamental Academy of Tampa (FAT). The focus of their research is to confirm Dr. Sander’s hypotheses that there are tangible, genetic changes directly correlated with the obesegenic factors.
Dr. Sanders has coined the term ‘Obesegen Biomarker’ to refer to a yet undiscovered genetic expressions, that if present, would dispose one to the ailments suffered by the chronically obese. The Obesegen Biomarker would distinguish those suffering from obesity resulting from ‘obesegenic’ lifestyle factors, and those whose obesity results from other factors.
Dr. Atkins and Dr. Sanders are confident that once they are successful in isolating the Obesegen Biomarker, a treatment regimen can be developed for those who are suffering from associated ailments. In a study published in the
“The treatment would consist of gene therapy, which would allow the patient to continue living in the obesegenic environment; enjoying the pleasures of the sedimentary lifestyle, while not requiring any behavior or lifestyle changes.”
Thus it may be fair to conclude that society is on the verge of finally having their cake and eating it too.
Pictured above are Dr. Atkins and Dr. Sanders with the structure they have developed to represent the hypothetical Obesegenic Biomarker. They have begun referring to the structure by the all encompassing name of "The Fast Food Nations', Paper Cup Generations', Obesegenic Biomarker".
