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Sewage Bacteria Reveal Cities' Obesity Rates

Posted by timothy on from the floral-research dept.

benonemusic writes A new frontier in data mining: Researchers at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee and the Marine Biological Laboratory in Woods Hole, Massachusetts surveyed bacteria from human waste in the municipal sewage systems. Surprisingly they found different proportions of bacterial species in cities that correlated with obesity rates in those municipal areas. The researchers believe that these bacterial samples can yield city-level information on other diseases as well. Hopefully this isn't just a messy case of spurious correlation.

3 of 152 comments (clear)

  1. Gut flora by flaming+error · · Score: 4, Interesting

    Health problems, including obesity, may be caused by what's in (or missing from) gut bacteria.

    1. Re:Gut flora by CrimsonAvenger · · Score: 4, Interesting

      This whole business reminds me of the arguments over whether ulcers were caused by stress or bacteria.

      Turned out to be that some were caused by the one, and some by the other (about 1/3 of ulcers can be "cured" by taking the appropriate antibiotics).

      Maybe, by and by, we'll find that some obesity is caused by the wrong gut bacteria, and some by bad habits.

      Disclaimer: I've been moderately overweight. And I've been thin. Never was much trouble going from the one to the other and back.

      --

      "I do not agree with what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it"
  2. There is other evidence by SuperKendall · · Score: 4, Interesting

    I read a recent story where someone who had a fecal transplant (which affects gut flora) suddenly had a dramatic weight gain as a result.

    It seems like that could work the other way also, as a really quick way to get thinner faster...

    --
    "There is more worth loving than we have strength to love." - Brian Jay Stanley