Obese? It's not your fault! There's a new excuse.

[GreenTeaFrapp]

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servl...andHealth/home

So according to this many obese people aren't obese because they like to eat, they're obese because of ADHD.

I love these two quotes together:

Paige Gilmore's doctor made an astonishing discovery - one that is revolutionizing the way morbidly obese people are treated, and viewed by society

A prejudice against ADHD persists to this day - even though it is a genetic, neuro-developmental problem

So society is going to look at obese people differently because it might be the fault of a condition that people are also prejuidiced against?

Or how about this:

Weight-loss programs stressing lifestyle and dietary changes didn't work for her because she didn't have the perseverance to follow them.
After being diagnosed with ADHD in 2004, Ms. Gilmore was able to stabilize her health and reduce her blood pressure enough to be a candidate for gastric bypass surgery, which she had two years later.

So discovering this fact works so well that they still need surgery to take the weight off? Couldn't they have just signed up for Biggest Loser instead?

And what position is admin assistant a step up from?

Better able to concentrate at work, she has also been promoted to administrative assistant in her role with the federal government.

[Locke]

Just when you thought they couldnt blame anything else on ADHD.

[CaptainCrunch]

Really, ADHD now makes you eat a pound of butter and 36 crispy creme donuts because your distracted.

I guess everything is caused by a disease or a syndrome, I guess as human beings we don't need to develope some discipline and maybe mental fortitude.

Brother.

[VladtheImpaler]

You missed the most important little tidbit in the OP - she has also been promoted to administrative assistant in her role with the federal government. This means that this great whale has been off work for months on disability at our expense. So, ADHD does not prevent her from working for the Fed, but it does prevent her from eating outside of KFC.


Someone harpoon this whale, and save us a couple of bucks.

[PsYcNeT]

As a sufferer of ADHD, I call shenanigans.

[GreenTeaFrapp]

Originally Posted by VladtheImpaler

You missed the most important little tidbit in the OP - she has also been promoted to administrative assistant in her role with the federal government. This means that this great whale has been off work for months on disability at our expense.

To be fair, she probably wasn't doing much work anyway. What federal government employee does?

[Locke]

Originally Posted by PsYcNeT

As a sufferer of ADHD, I call shenanigans.

Are you aware of the gravity of the charge you are making?

[PsYcNeT]

Originally Posted by Locke

Are you aware of the gravity of the charge you are making?

I am, and I'm willing to stick my neck out to stand by it!

[burn_this_city]

If anything ADHD should make you thinner.. They are constantly moving and on the go.

[Gozer]

Weight-loss programs stressing lifestyle and dietary changes didn't work for her because she didn't have the perseverance to follow them.

/society

[Old Yeller]

I always thought people were fat/obese/disgusting because they took in more calories than they burned.

[dobbles]

as an overweight person i can readily admit my problem is i love cheeseburgers and pizza way too much!

when i was younger i was a lot more active. since graduating college i have worked a series of desk jobs. it took me a while to realize i couldn't eat the same as i did when i was a teen since i am sitting at a desk for 8 hours! while i would love to lose weight, i don't mind too much as it doesn't really effect my daily life. its not as if i can't climb stairs or anything like that.

[VladtheImpaler]

Originally Posted by GreenTeaFrapp

To be fair, she probably wasn't doing much work anyway. What federal government employee does?

An astute point, Sir. Touche.

[photon]

Originally Posted by PsYcNeT

As a sufferer of ADHD, I call shenanigans.

If you are ADHD then you know there's many different components of it, and that not everyone who suffers from it is the same.

That's a pretty strong correlation in their numbers, worth doing more research on for sure.

[PsYcNeT]

The biggest problem I have food-wise in relation to ADHD is impulsive snacking.

The easiest way to combat that is to either a) have no food nearby, or b) ensure all nearby food isn't terrible for me.

Logic, it works.

[The Yen Man]

Originally Posted by PsYcNeT

The biggest problem I have food-wise in relation to ADHD is impulsive snacking.

The easiest way to combat that is to either a) have no food nearby, or b) ensure all nearby food isn't terrible for me.

Logic, it works.

Exactly. Instead of stocking your cupboards full of chips and popcorn, have your fridge full of vegetables instead. I've never heard of anyone getting fat off of carrots and celery, that's for sure.

[GreenTeaFrapp]

Originally Posted by PsYcNeT

The biggest problem I have food-wise in relation to ADHD is impulsive snacking.

The easiest way to combat that is to either a) have no food nearby, or b) ensure all nearby food isn't terrible for me.

Logic, it works.

There's also c) go to the gym and don't be a lazy ass.

[Dion]

Originally Posted by Old Yeller

I always thought people were fat/obese/disgusting because they took in more calories than they burned.

Thyroid problems can cause weight gain.

As mentioned, hypothyroidism slows down the metabolism and consequently may cause weight gain. Remember, if you experience symptoms including unusual and unexpected weight gain, arrange a blood test with your doctor. If hypothyroidism is diagnosed and corrected (eg. with medication) your metabolic rate and weight level should return to normal in a reasonable short period of time.

http://www.weightlossresources.co.uk...fo/thyroid.htm

Certain meds can cause weight gain also.

There are some medications which have become famous for this: Zyprexa, Depakote, lithium are all guilty some of the time (not always; it doesn't happen to everybody). And now that we're paying more attention to this problem, it's becoming clear that other medications can do it: all of the new-generation antipsychotics (Zyprexa, Risperidone, Seroquel at least; Geodon very little, aripiprazole more than Geodon but less than the rest) and many of the old-generation medications like Haldol can cause weight gain. Even some antidepressants that were never really suspect in this way are now known to cause weight gain (slower than the medications listed above, though, and perhaps less often), such as Prozac and Paxil.

http://www.psycheducation.org/hormon...weightgain.htm

[Tyler]

Ah! So this explains all those overweight marathon runners

[jayswin]

When did they add an "H" into it? When I was in junior high/high school all the kids had "ADD", now it seems everyone has ADHD, or is it two different conditions?; and if so, why did everyone used to have ADD, while everyone now has ADHD?