%0 Journal Article
%T The muscle ¨C fat duel or why obese children are taller?
%A Dina Ralt
%J BMC Pediatrics
%D 2006
%I BioMed Central
%R 10.1186/1471-2431-6-33
%X The interplay between less muscle and more fat tissue is discussed from physiological perspectives with an emphasis on the early years of childhood.It is suggested that the coordinated muscle-fat interactions lead to a fluctuating exchange economy rate. This bodily economic decision, slides between thrift (more fat) and prodigal (more muscle) strategies. The thrift strategy results not only in obesity and less physical activity but also in other maladies which the body is unable to manage.What leads to obesity (less muscle, more fat) might be very difficult to reverse at adulthood, prevention at childhood is thus recommended.Early recognition of the ailment (low muscle mass) is crucial. Based on studies demonstrating a 'rivalry' between muscle build-up and height growth at childhood, it is postulated that among the both taller and more obese children the percentage of children with lower muscle mass will be higher.A special, body/muscle-building gymnastics program for children is suggested as a potential early intervention to prevent the ill progress of obesity.The Health Survey for England warns that by 2010, if nothing is done, 19% of boys and 22% of girls aged two to 15 will be obese [1]. Larger body size is not the main problem of obesity [2], the problems are the numerous accompanying maladies [3-5].The spreading of the obesity epidemic, termed Globesity [6,7], is pointing to a very distressing situation ¨C obesity not only seems irreversible but its incidence continues to rise. Though adenovirus showed association with obesity [8] more basic interactions point to a non-viral physiological complexity of gaining weight. The increased calorie intake and decreased physical activity, allied with obesity, appear to be the result of a bodily economic strategy rather than just the result of behavioral aberration [9].What is the nature of this physiological strategy (i.e. exchange economy rates)? It has many attributes but this commentary will focus on the interplay bet
%U http://www.biomedcentral.com/1471-2431/6/33