I find all of this very interesting! I went through what the doctors have labeled as Premature ovarian failure when I was just 19. Though the first two years after the onset went by without a hitch, the third was not quite so quiet. Without warning, I started gaining weight and was up 15 lbs in one month! I was in the Military at the time. PE every morning for an hour and of course I had a well balanced diet but was not able to get the weight to come off no matter what I did. I was always a slim/lanky child. After trying every thing including starving myself for a week in which I still managed to gain 3 lbs, I finally went on the controversial Atkins Diet almost a year ago and managed to get myself down to a healthier 127 from 160 and still I find that if I have a moment of weakness in which I eat some bread or have a piece of fruit or anything that contains any carbs or sugar, I immediately gain a pound the following day!! This diet sucks! I use to be able to eat a normal diet, now I cant even enjoy fruit which we all know is good for you. BUT! I highly doubt any of this mumbo jumbo. My take on obesity is, either you are not eating healthy OR you have serious "Push Away Disease." Some people just cant seem to put down the chicken wing!! I know there are people out there with real medical conditions that cause them to become obese. I recognize those people and give them my sympathies, but a virus?!! OH PLEASE! Quit making up excuses for these people and make them take some responsability for what they put into their mouth! And well you are at it...quit giving them disabled stickers to put in their car and make them walk from the back of the parking lot as well as through the store instead of riding in a motorized chair! After that, quit giving them medicine for every ache and pain they come to the doctors office with which also aids and abets weight gain and make them do some excersise instead. I think most doctors will find that when you stop making excuses for them and start telling them the truth and make them face it, they will finally be forced to face the facts---McDonalds every night or lasagna by the dish full is going to make you gain weight!! And one last thought. Drinking a diet coke with a greasy pizza will not make a bit of difference!