BBC: "Nerve cells in the hypothalamus determine our appetite for pizza"

[danny la rouge]

Says the caption below this picture:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-22046305

Wow. That's pretty specific, I thought. I wonder what else they've tracked down? The nerve cells that control our appetite for boiled new potatoes with melted butter? For grapefruit marmalade on wholemeal toast? For bread and butter pudding made with banana loaf because you don't have enough stale bread?

Turns out that actually, "in experiments in rodents, cells called tanycytes were found to produce neurons which specifically regulate appetite". In general. Pizza isn't mentioned. No cheese and tomato based foods are mentioned.

 

[ferrelhadley]

In the language of the tabloids..... fat nav.

 

[Dr Jon]

It's interesting how obesity is now regarded as a disorder that needs "curing"

We didn't have this plague of fat bastards before people became lazy, stopped exercising and convenience/junk foods became the staple diet.

 

[gentlegreen]

Excessive eating has many dimensions ..
It's surely like drug addiction and whether it should be a problem for the legal system or health professionals.

And a stitch in time might save nine ...

 

[Pickman's model]

Does Badgers know about this?

 

[Greebo]

It's interesting how obesity is now regarded as a disorder that needs "curing"

We didn't have this plague of fat bastards before people became lazy, stopped exercising and convenience/junk foods became the staple diet.

Sweetie, could you work just one more cliche into your next post?

We didn't have such a widespread obesity problem when more children either had space for active play at home or were encouraged to play outside, and when so-called healthy foods (ie fruit and veg) were a lot cheaper compared to even semi-processed food. Of course, at that time, there were more public swimming pools within a reasonable distance even of lowish income areas, and the same goes for leisure centres etc.

 

[Dr Jon]

Sweetie, could you work just one more cliche into your next post?

OK, just for you then:

We had no local swimming pool when I was a kid. Now we have a leisure centre with swimming pool, squash courts, gym, etc. Obviously a complete waste of taxpayer's money.

We either walked or cycled to school, not driven there by parents in 4wd fat fuck carriers..

 

[ferrelhadley]

and when so-called healthy foods (ie fruit and veg) were a lot cheaper compared to even semi-processed food.

'Processed' foods are often able to be stored at room temperature for very long times, things like dry pasta or canned foods. This makes their storage and transport an whole load cheaper that perishables. Perishables tend to be seasonal and grow better in warmer climates.

 

[Greebo]

'Processed' foods are often able to be stored at room temperature for very long times, things like dry pasta or canned foods. This makes their storage and transport an whole load cheaper that perishables. Perishables tend to be seasonal and grow better in warmer climates.

Be that as it may, you can't be tempted to eat what isn't around.

 

[samk]

Have they found the nerves that determine a banker or oligarch's appetite for money? I feel pizza determines our appetite for pizza.

 

[Dr Jon]

Have they found the nerves that determine a banker or oligarch's appetite for money?

They won't find braincells for that. Greed & stupidity go together.
Traders, otoh, are worse than Psychopaths.

 

[Cid]

Says the caption below this picture:

She looks like she's about to burst into tears. Maybe she's a BBC intern.

 

[wemakeyousoundb]

I was going to order a pizza, then couldn't be bothered walking to the phone to order it and made a cupasoup instead.
a fucked hypothalamus is not something you want.

 

[Badgers]

Does Badgers know about this?

I do now

 

[Geri]

I would eat pizza every day of the week if I wasn't scared of the consequences.

 

[alsoknownas]

My kids just ordered £78 worth of pizza. Must be some tanycyte overaction. Or munchies? (kidding!)

 

[Greebo]

<snip>a fucked hypothalamus is not something you want.

Given that the hypothalamus is involved in memory function and some types of cognitive processing as well as appetite, I'd agree with you there.

 

[DrRingDing]

I would eat pizza every day of the week if I wasn't scared of the consequences.

Same same. I live above a kebab shop that does surprisingly good pizzas. I had one tonight....was grand.

 

[danny la rouge]

She looks like she's about to burst into tears. Maybe she's a BBC intern.

I know. She is clearly worried about the calories and wouldn't normally eat pizza. Her boss is saying "you don't have to swallow, just try to look like a slob".

 

[Badgers]

My kids just ordered £78 worth of pizza. Must be some tanycyte overaction. Or munchies? (kidding!)

How many kids are we talking here? Two greedy kids spending £39 each or seventy eight kids starving on £1 of pizza each?

 

[FridgeMagnet]

Have you ever really looked at the pictures that appear on BBC news stories? Well, no, who would, 90%+ of the time they're just random stock photos put in to make the article more visually appealing, right? It's Lord Privy Seal stuff.

Somebody has to go in and add these stock photos to every single story, and sometimes it's easy - Red meat damages heart, you just search for "meat" and put that in. "Appetite control could be rewired, say researchers"? What the fuck do you put for that? oh just search for "food" and put in a caption justifying it.

 

[DotCommunist]

Same same. I live above a kebab shop that does surprisingly good pizzas. I had one tonight....was grand.

I assume you've never had a kebab meat pizza what with the vegginess and all but they are proper rank.

 

[danny la rouge]

Have you ever really looked at the pictures that appear on BBC news stories? Well, no, who would, 90%+ of the time they're just random stock photos put in to make the article more visually appealing, right? It's Lord Privy Seal stuff.

Somebody has to go in and add these stock photos to every single story, and sometimes it's easy - Red meat damages heart, you just search for "meat" and put that in. "Appetite control could be rewired, say researchers"? What the fuck do you put for that? oh just search for "food" and put in a caption justifying it.

Indeed. That's achingly obvious from the way this has been shoehorned in. My point is, unless you have a pic of a hypothalamus, leave it unillustrated.

 

[Greebo]

Indeed. That's achingly obvious from the way this has been shoehorned in. My point is, unless you have a pic of a hypothalamus, leave it unillustrated.

Just for the sake of completion. Weird, but IMHO sweet that the right and left thalamus look a bit like a miniature brain within the brain.

 

[wemakeyousoundb]

Given that the hypothalamus is involved in memory function and some types of cognitive processing as well as appetite, I'd agree with you there.

that's true, but I was actually getting confused, I have a friend whose hypophyse is nearly all fucked and has some damage to his hypothalamus and that's what I was thinking about, he now has to take loads of pills to regulate some of his body functions. Bit of a shit situation.