Ear infections link to obesity
Some excerpts from the above:
"A history of severe ear infections or tonsil trouble may increase the chances of being obese later in life, according to scientists.
About a third of children get recurrent otitis media and research presented at a US conference suggests a link.
Infections may affect food choices by damaging nerves involved in taste, the researchers said.
However, a number of UK experts raised doubts about the findings, with one saying a link was "extremely unlikely".
Five separate studies aired at the American Psychological Association's conference hinted at an association between either ear infection or tonsil removal surgery and obesity.In the first, more than 6,000 adults were quizzed about their history of ear infections and the results suggested that those with a moderate to severe history were 62% more likely to be obese.
Having tonsils removed can be a sign of recurrent infection problems in the ear, nose and throat, and a survey of almost 14,000 people found that those who had had tonsils removed were 40% more likely to be overweight as adults.
Paediatric ear, nose and throat surgeon Ray Clarke, from Alder Hey Children's Hospital in Liverpool, said it was well known that severe ear infections, and operations, could affect taste.
However, he said there was no other evidence that this could play a role in developing obesity."
I would have thought a more likely explanation is that the bugs causing the recurrent otitis media (e.g. cpni) become chronic and cause weight gain through the mechanisms outlined in the potbelly syndrome.
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Hunter: Don't think - experiment