• Biological influences on obesity include age, sex, race, hormonal factors (such as puberty, pregnancy and menopause) and a wide range of genetic factors and interactions between these.

• Recent findings have isolated a number of genes associated with various aspects of obesity such as hunger and food preference.

• The propensity to store body fat increases with age, and there are important age by sex, and possibly racial interactions.

There are multiple biological regulators of body fat. These are, in particular, genetics (including sex and race) and age.

Other biological factors. There are some other notable biological factors influencing tat loss which occur at certain periods of life. These include puberty, menses, and menopause and a wide range of genetic factors. Like most biological influences, these are relatively fixed, and hence modifications have generally not been seen as a realistic approach to dealing with the problem. The implications of these biological influences are in accepting factors beyond the control of the obese person. Obesity can no longer be simply ascribed to either ‘sloth’ or ‘gluttony’.

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There are two basic factors which determine metabolic rate (MR) at any given moment: the number and size of respiring cells, and the metabolic intensity of those cells as determined by the work being done and how efficiently energy transformation occurs to meet the body’s demands. Resting metabolic rate (RMR) is the energy required to sustain life while an individual is at rest, but still awake. Basal metabolic rate (BMR) is often used synonymously with RMR and the energy required to sustain life at the lowest level, which is during sleep, is called the sleeping metabolic rate (SMR). The main determinants of metabolic rate are fat-free mass (FFM), fat mass (FM), age and sex. A ‘determinant’ is a factor which explains differences in metabolic rate between individuals.

RMR accounts for 60-70 per cent of daily energy expenditure. Excess consumption of energy or overfeeding causes an increase in RMR, while underfeeding, such as very-low-calorie diets (VLCDs) and fasting result in a decreased RMR. Most of these changes are due to changes in fat-free mass (FFM) and the thermic effect of food (which is dependent on the calorie load). There may also be some ‘adaptive’ changes which result in a metabolic rate (MR) which is greater (for overfeeding), or less (for underfeeding) than predicted.

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Weary of hauling around an extra 35 pounds, Ann Marie plunged into an exercise program at her local gym, became a vegetarian, and swore off fried foods. The changes were dramatic—and successful: After several months, she dropped four dress sizes.

But like many, the 32-year-old Endicott, New York, resident liked to snack, particularly on chocolate. She often munched when she was under stress or bored. “It wasn’t that I was really hungry,”

she says. “My mouth was just looking for something to do.”

Ann Marie worried that her persistent munching would bring back the weight she had worked so hard to lose. Then, by accident, she discovered the appetite-suppressing magic of sugarless cinnamon gum. By chewing gum, Ann Marie found that she was able to stay away from chocolate bars and other high-fat goodies. “The sweet, minty flavor and the chewing made me much less likely to snack,” she says. “It would provide the tension relief that I was looking for in food.”

Her snack cravings under control, Ann Marie kept off the weight. And now, whenever she finds herself having a snack attack, she simply pulls out a stick of gum and chews.

WINNING ACTION

Keep your mouth occupied. Chewing gum can help distract you from the urge to snack. Like Ann Marie, opt for cinnamon; or take advantage of peppermint’s appetite-suppressant qualities for more weight-loss power. Whatever flavor you choose, make sure it’s sugarless—it’s kinder to your teeth.

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