Genetic and environmental factors both contribute to childhood obesity. While genes may predispose individuals, it is the modern environment that is the main trigger for the obesity epidemic through factors like highly processed foods, lack of physical activity, and chemicals in our environment. If current trends continue unabated, future generations could face dramatically higher rates of obesity-related diseases, lower life expectancy, and potentially even societal collapse. Wide-scale policy changes are needed to promote healthier diets and lifestyles.

3. Mean Body Mass Index of Parents of Four Weight Classes of Adoptees Stunkard, A., Sorensen, T. Hanis C. Teasdale T., Chakraborty R., Schull W., Schulsinger F., Adoption Study of Human Obesity, NEJM v. 314 January 23 ,1986 No.4 pp.193-197

4. “ Genetic influences on BMI and abdominal adiposity are high in children born since the onset of the pediatric obesity epidemic.” … “Targeting the family may be vital for obesity prevention in the earliest years but longer term weight control will require a combination of individual engagement and society wide efforts to modify the environment especially for children at high genetic risk.” Evidence for a strong genetic influence on childhood adiposity despite the force of the obesogenic environment -- Wardle et al. 87 (2): 398 – American Journal of Clinical Nutrition

5. BMI and prevalence of diabetes among Pima Indians Living in Maycoba, Mexico and Arizona Pratley R. Gene-environment interactions in pathogenesis of Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus: lessons learned from the Pima Indians Proceeding of the Nutrition Society 1998, 57, 175 -181

6. What does a genetic- environmental action look like? It reminds me of something… G x E = X ²

7. Here we go… Percentage of U.S. Children and Adolescents who were overweight 1963-2002 National Center for Health Statistics

8. What are the causes of obesity besides our genes? Diet (refined carbohydrates and too many calories) Physical Inactivity Stress Lack of sleep Air conditioning Pollution…Chemicals like- BpA , DDE, PCBs, TCDD and TBT. Neophobia - the fear of new foods Food deserts Safe neighborhoods Screen time on computer and TV Advertising Viral Infections Quit Smoking Aging Intra-uterine programming?!?!? http://slimeasydiet.com/what-causes-obesity / Factors like stress, diet and pollution can lead to a maternal intra-uterine gene programming creating a transgenerational response in your offspring

13. What happens if we do nothing? Where we are now. 20 15 10 5 % 10 15 20 25 30 35 40 45 50 NHANES 1976-1980 NHANES 2005 -2006 This chart shows the distribution of BMI between 1976-1980 and 2005-2006 BMI

14. If trends continue … 20 15 10 5 % 10 15 20 25 30 35 40 45 50 NHANES 1976-1980 NHANES 2005 -2006 The FUTURE!!! BMI

15. This can’t happen! 20 15 10 5 % 10 15 20 25 30 35 40 45 50 The FUTURE!!! BMI

17. Since our conventional armed forces will be limited by the epidemic… our only logical option will be… See: Too Fat to Fight