stress During Pregnancy triggers Baby Health Problems

stress During Pregnancy triggers Baby Health Problems

women general Unknown   6:41 AM

Scientists from the University of California Los Angeles (UCLA) found most people have a high level of cortisol — a hormone the body releases in response to stressful events and Stress psychology— when they get out of bed in the morning, and that level declines throughout the day.

Stress arise Cortisol Levels during Pregnancy, causes Lower Birth Weight

Normally, cortisol levels are high in the morning and then decline as the day progresses. The new study showed that majority of lower-weight babies came from mothers whose high cortisol levels remained the same throughout the day.
Cortisol levels usually increase two to four times during pregnancy. However, excessive amounts of cortisol could have harmful effects on both the mother and her child.

Immediate effects of increased cortisol include having decreased blood flow to the fetus. This then leads to the baby being deprived of oxygen and necessary nutrients.

“We found that the same cortisol pattern that has been linked with chronic stress is associated with delivering a baby that weighs less at birth,” says study lead author Christine Guardino.

The new study analysed 142 women who were participating in a larger study that was conducted by the Community Child Health Network, which looked at how chronic stress affects new parents and their babies. Researchers found that the women were likelier to give birth to lower-weight babies. It is the first evidence that maternal cortisol patterns before conception influence the weight of the baby

Although past studies have shown that stress hormones play a huge role in the growth and development of babies, this new study is the first to provide evidence that the stress physiology or cortisol patterns before a mother’s pregnancy are also essential in determining a baby’s birth weight. This then suggests that the events in the life of a woman, as well as her overall health, matter.

Such implication signifies that women who plan to get pregnant must consider the effects of their daily stresses once they conceive and start planning for a healthy pregnancy.

“Improving pre-conception health can profoundly improve our overall health,” says Schetter. This means that women should manage ongoing stresses, treat depression if present and obtain support from family members. All the factors needed to have a good pregnancy and healthy life as a mother starts before getting pregnant.

The UCLA Study about Stress during pregnancy

More than 300,000 babies each year in the U.S. are born with low birth weight, meaning that they weigh less than 2,500 grams, or less than about five-and-a-half pounds. They have a higher-than-normal risk for infant mortality developmental and for health abnormalities throughout their lives, including cardiovascular and metabolic disorders.

The UCLA-led research looked at families in Los Angeles; Washington, D.C.; Baltimore; Lake County, Illinois; and eastern North Carolina, beginning a month after the birth of a child, and again when the child was six, 12, and 18 months old.

The research involved 142 women who provided saliva samples and became pregnant during the Community Child Health Network study.

“Improving pre-conception health can profoundly improve our overall health,” she said. “Women should treat depression, evaluate and treat stress, be sure they are in a healthy relationship, be physically active, stop smoking and gather family support. All of the things that create an optimal pregnancy and healthy life for the mother should be done before getting pregnant.”

Preconception health is an important consideration. Dunkel Schetter explains that there has been considerable interest in recent years in the importance of pre-conception health, and the new data supports that push.

The researchers found that the mothers’ stresses came from finances, relationships within the family and neighborhood issues. Major life events such as death in the family, racism and interpersonal violence were also noted.

The authors determined the levels of stress by analyzing the participants’ body mass index, blood pressure and cortisol levels in the saliva. They also conducted interviews among mothers and fathers in their places of residence.

In previous studies, the importance of stress hormones during pregnancy for foetal growth and development has been proved. The present study went a step further suggesting that an intense should be kept on the women’s health and life circumstances, especially chronic stress, even before she gets pregnant.

“Women should treat depression, evaluate and treat stress, be sure they are in a healthy relationship, be physically active, stop smoking and gather family support,” said Chris Dunkel Schetter from UCLA.

Loneliness can be deadly

Loneliness can be deadly

general Unknown   6:39 AM

According to a study made by the University of Chicago, being cut off from other people weakens our ability to fight off viruses as well as pushes the blood pressure into the danger zone of heart attacks and strokes.

Loneliness can cause heart attacks and strokes

Researchers from the University of California and University of Chicago found that lonely people’s immune responses is less effective compared to non-lonely people. In comparison, lonely people also have increased body inflammation. They also feel threatened in a social manner, which affects their health tremendously.

What the research team found is that perceived social isolation—the “feeling of loneliness”—was strongly linked to two critical physiological responses in a group of 141 older adults: compromised immune systems and increased cellular inflammation. Both outcomes are thought to hinge on how loneliness affects the expression of genes through a phenomenon the researchers call “conserved transcriptional response to adversity,” or CTRA.

The longer someone experiences loneliness, the greater the influence of CTRA on the expression of genes related to white blood cells (aka, leukocytes, the cells involved in protecting us against infections) and inflammation. CTRA decreases the genetic expression of white blood cells while simultaneously increasing the genetic expression of inflammation. Inflammation refers to damage at the cellular level rather than the swelling that accompanies an injury; the injury, in this case, is happening within the body’s cells.

In a study of 141 older adults, researchers looked at the relationship between loneliness and patterns of gene expression in white blood cells, which are involved in protecting the body against viruses and bacteria. They’ve found the same effect as in their previous study, that loneliness causes an increased gene expression for inflammation while the gene expression for the immunes system’s fight against antiviral infections is decreased.

He added: “The “danger signals” activated in the brain by loneliness ultimately affect the production of white blood cells”. They believe that the resulting increase in the number of monocytes may both propagate loneliness and contribute to its associated health risks.

Loneliness can lower the white blood cell count people’s body, lowering their immune systems

Their previous study found a link between loneliness and a phenomenon called “conserved transcriptional response to adversity” (CTRA).
Researchers at the University of Chicago have found that those who are lonely are more likely to have a lower immune system.Other studies showed that the increased production of immature monocytes was amplifying the high inflammation/low antiviral effect in the pool of white blood cells. The study also revealed that loneliness predicted that these cellular changes would occur a year or more later. This indicates that leukocyte gene expression and loneliness work together to exacerbate each other over time.

Next, the team investigated the cellular processes linking social experience to CTRA gene expression in rhesus macaque monkeys at the California National Primate Research Centre, which had been behaviourally classified as high in perceived social isolation. Both lonely humans and “lonely like” monkeys showed higher levels of monocytes in their blood.

The combination of the two effects is potentially lethal. A lessened ability to fight infections along with a slow erosion of cellular health leaves the body open to a host of external and internal problems, some of which worsen over time with few distinct symptoms.

“Perceived social isolation is a risk factor for chronic illness and all-cause mortality but the molecular mechanisms remain ill understood. In humans, loneliness involves an implicit hyper-vigilance for social threat,” said John Capitanio from the University of California.

The researchers analyzed the effect of loneliness in humans and a highly social type of primate species, the rhesus macaque. A past research involving the two species found a link between loneliness and a biological phenomenon called conserved transcriptional response to adversity (CTRA). The phenomenon’s identifying factors are the increased activity in genes responsible for inflammation and decreased activity in genes responsible for antiviral reactions.

The cumulative findings showed that loneliness affects the “fight or flight” response, which then increases production of immature monocytes in the blood. High levels of monocytes increases the activity of inflammatory genes. Increased monocytes’ presence in the blood lowers the activity of genes responsible for fighting off viruses and bacteria. The blood of lonely macaques and humans showed high levels of monocytes. Monkeys who were continually thrusted into slightly stressful situations such as new and unfamiliar cage-mates showed increased levels of monocytes.

The study also found that CTRA and loneliness have a reciprocal relationship: loneliness predicted CTRA gene expression more than a year later, and CTRA gene expression predicted loneliness more than a year later. In other words, loneliness and CTRA propel each other over time, one pushing the other as physical health is eventually undermined. The reasons why this reciprocal relationship exists aren’t entirely clear.

The results, the researchers emphasized, are “specific to perceived social isolation” and can’t be explained by stress or depression.

The researchers also studied the effects of social isolation in a group of rhesus monkeys and found the same pattern of increased CTRA activity, along with a heightened “fight or flight” chemical response. The combination of effects led to impaired immune systems that allowed viruses, like the simian version of HIV, to grow faster in the monkeys’ blood and brain tissue.

Loneliness activates “danger signals” in the brain which disrupts healthy production of white blood cells. Heightened monocyte production may intensify loneliness and influence health risks.

The next disturbing effect they found is the increased levels of norepinephrine, the “fight or flight” neurotransmitter, in lonely macaques. Past research explained that norepinephrine triggers bone marrow’s blood stem cells to create more immature monocytes. The increased production of immature monocytes explained the heightened CTRA activity in the white blood cell pool.

They also discovered that loneliness can predict CTRA activity one year or further into the future and vice versa. The findings were definite to loneliness and are not connected to other forms of dangers like stress and depression.

The research team included noted University of Chicago loneliness researcher John Cacioppo, who also published research earlier this year on the brain differences between lonely and non-lonely people. In that study, Cacioppo found that the brains of lonely people display a “hyper-vigilance” to perceived social threats. Certain socially negative words (like “alone,” “solitary,” and “sad”) triggered responses in the lonely participants’ brains significantly more pronounced than responses from non-lonely participants’ brains, suggesting a rapid shift into self-preservation mode in the lonely brain.

The self-preservation trigger may be linked to the physiological responses found in the latest research, though future studies will have to probe the connection further. For now, we have another big clue as to how loneliness affects overall health.

The research team is pushing forward to discover how loneliness can lead to poor health conditions and how it can be intercepted in senior adults.

ONE REHAB DOCTOR EXPLAINS HOW ROCKSTARS BEAT ADDICTION

ONE REHAB DOCTOR EXPLAINS HOW ROCKSTARS BEAT ADDICTION

men Unknown   6:33 AM

Dr Campbell of The Priory helps you overcome a pickled liver

Most people – musicians included – end up seeking help after they’ve had a rock bottom moment, like crashing their car while drunk. Often their friends say, ‘Come on, Johnny, we’ve had enough, mate. Your life’s fucked up,’ and bring them in at gunpoint.

The most common addiction we see at The Priory is alcohol, followed by cocaine, marijuana, and opiates – like heroin. Anybody who tells you marijuana’s not addictive doesn’t know what they’re on about. 25% of psychoses – delusions, hallucinations, schizophrenia – are caused by weed.

If a patient’s been drinking heavily, stopping suddenly can cause them to seizure or bring on delirium tremens – a serious condition where your blood pressure and heart rate rockets, leading to a heart attack or stroke. 

With opiates you get brought down on methadone or temgesic. Cocaine and marijuana don’t require a detox. Whatever you’re prescribed to wean you off –valium, diazepam – no one leaves here taking drugs.

In group therapy we deal with guilt and stuff from the past. I hear a lot of, ‘If you had a childhood like mine, you’d drink, too.’ Often, it’s a coping mechanism that’s got out of hand.

Nowadays it’s almost a badge of honour for musicians to say they’ve had a problem. But it’s important for us to talk about the consequences of addiction on their careers. If you’re off your face all the time you’re not going to function very well. And you’re going to get a reputation for not being very clever.

Gauging who’s going to do well and who isn’t is difficult. The fundamental issue when it comes to quitting drink and drugs is that you have to want a different life. The people who are most successful when they leave are those who attend weekly fellowship meetings. Eric Clapton is a famous example.

Rock stars can also get a ‘Sober Friend’ – a civilian who goes on tour, supporting them while the other losers are snorting Charlie.

But, occasionally, some people leave rehab thinking they can do it all on their own, without joining a fellowship or finding a sponsor. It’s not long before they press the ‘Fuck it’ button and are back on the Jack Daniels. Carry on with that and you’re meeting the great architect of the universe.

WHY YOU NEED TO USE CABLE MACHINES

WHY YOU NEED TO USE CABLE MACHINES

men Unknown   6:31 AM

One machine. All the workouts. Your guide to the most versatile bit of kit

Free weights are considered the kings of resistance training, but as any PT worth their salt will tell you, switching up your training is never a bad thing. Adding a new move, routine or piece of equipment forces your body to adapt, move and grow in new ways. It’s time to get to grips with the cable machine.

Why cables?

One way cables beat the humble dumbbell for resistance training lies in its adjustable origin point, allowing you to work muscles from different angles. “Cables allow you to move through multiple planes of motion,” says celebrity PT Scott Laidler. Can’t yet hoist your bodyweight? Lat pull-downs offer you a vertical back workout while you build up to pull-ups. Bench taken? Set the cables halfway down and perform four sets of pec flys.

“The constant resistance of a cable means you’re under tension on the way forward, as well as on the way back,” Laidler adds. Much like lowering a bicep curl under control, the cable teaches you to work your muscles throughout the lift. Being able to perform an exercise under control, from any angle, is a great way to isolate muscles like your triceps that contribute to bigger lifts.

Safety first

Trying to avoid injury? Eschew the iron for a cord. “Cables protect you from injuries that can be caused by free weights,” Laidler tells us. “By the time you find out a barbell is too heavy for you, it's too late.” 90% of gym injuries come from dumbbells and barbells, according to a study published in American Journal of Sports Medicine.

Piling too many plates onto a barbell is risky, especially without a spotter, whereas releasing a cable results in no more than the crash of heavy metal. People might stare, but it’s better that than having two laughing frat-bros wrestle the bar from your windpipe.

“Improper form is also more common with weights. Where there is no directed plane of motion this can cause imbalances and injury.” The greatest boon of barbells is also a double-edged sword; instability forces your muscles to work overtime, but too much imbalance can lead to bad form, which causes injuries. Working on a ‘directed plane of motion' cables allow you to build up to big weights safely.

Tethered together

There’s a cable rig and a selection of handles in almost every gym. The versatility of the rig (bicep curls, flys, reverse flys, tricep pushdowns and woodchoppers, to name a few) means you can park yourself in a cable bay and get a full-body workout in 30 minutes.

Most rigs even incorporate overhead pull-up bars, meaning you can go to exhaustion with your hanging bodyweight before taking on lat pulldowns, bicep curls and reverse flys for a back-and-bis blitz as good as any free weight workout.

End of your rope

So where to begin on the cables? We asked Scott Laidler to talk us through some favourite cable-friendly moves. Tether yourself to the idea of better muscle for injury free sustainable gains.

Woodchops

Form tip: “Contract your abdominals throughout the rotation,” says Laidler.
Why: remember that this exercise is concentrated on the rotation of the torso to carve a shredded core. Creating tension in your abs will help.

Form tip: “Keep your arms straight throughout the movement.”
Why: maintaining rigid form works your shoulders and lats as well as your obliques. Keeping your arms straight forces your torso to do the work.

Core rotation

Form tip: “Make sure you are far enough away from the cable machine so that the cable is at full tension at the start of the exercise.”
Why: being unable to relax your muscles until you finish the set increases time under tension, ensuring you a beach-body six pack.

Form tip: “Be sure to keep equal attention to form when pulling away from the machine as well as returning to the starting position.”
Why: slowing down the eccentric phase, rather than simply “letting go”, will develop full-body muscle control as well as enviable abs.

Cable kneeling Crunch

Form tip: “Crunch your abs whilst pulling the rope down until your elbows meet the floor.”
Why: you may get a few funny looks, but this exercise works your much-maligned lower abdominals. Sit back and pull your elbows to your knees to change the emphasis to your upper abs.

Form tip: “Hold for a second or two before you repeat.”
Why: time under tension again, keeping your abs contracted and forcing them to work harder.

Cable Pec fly

Form tip: “Bring your arms together using your chest muscles as if hugging a tree.”
Why: visualisation will help you track your form. To hit the whole pec, try and get your extension horizontal. 

Form tip: “Keep a 15 degree bend in your elbow throughout the exercise.”
Why: too much elbow will turn your fly into a press. Pec flys place emphasis squarely on the chest compared to dumbbell and bench presses, and you’ll want to make sure the right muscles are moving to keep it that way.

Oil Pulling to Naturally Whiten Teeth, Detox and Improve Skin

Oil Pulling to Naturally Whiten Teeth, Detox and Improve Skin

women skin Unknown   6:28 AM

Let me begin by telling you that words like 'natural' and 'home remedy' always grab my attention. This makes my fascination for Ayurveda perfectly understandable. The Ayurvedic science of medicine dates back to 5000 years with roots in India and is based on the concept of holistic healing. And so, when someone suggested oil pulling for whiter teeth, detoxification and curing cold, I wasn't surprised but eager to know more.

For those unfamiliar with oil pulling, it involves swishing a kind of edible oil in your mouth for a couple of minutes and then spitting it out. This ancient cleansing method is known to remove bacteria and microorganisms and in the process helps in detoxifying your body's lymph nodes and glands.

"Oil pulling is a part of the Ayurvedic dental care regime that includes several other practices. The dincharya or everyday routine starts with using Datun from the tree bark to clean your teeth similar to brushing, followed by Jivaha Nirlekhan which means cleaning your tongue, then oil pulling and finally Dhumpan in which the gum from herbal plants like Guggulu and Shirish is burnt and the steam is inhaled for internal purification. In traditional Ayurveda, these were used to treat the imbalance of various doshas," explains Dr. Ashutosh Gautam, Clinical Operations and Coordination Manager at Baidyanath.

In Ayurvedic practice, oil pulling can be performed in two ways. Ghandusha is where you keep the oil in your mouth for two to three minutes and then you spit it out. In the other method called Kaval Graha, the oil is gently revolved around in the mouth for 15 to 20 minutes till it becomes thin and whitish in colour and then expelled. The teeth, gums and tongue are rinsed with salt water. This can be followed by brushing and flossing as you normally would. The oil is never swallowed. The best time to perform it is in the morning before breakfast. It is to be practiced an empty stomach, one to three times in a day.

"The oil in kept in mouth till you start sweating slightly which is a sign of toxins being released from your body. You may also experience watery eyes and some discharge from the nose as your mouth and throat are being cleansed. Usually, sesame oil and mustard oilis used about 15 to 25 ml in quantity or according to how much you can hold. Both these oils are regarded as anti-viral, anti-inflammatory and anti-bacterial agents. Sometimes, a pinch of salt or turmeric may be added which acts as an antiseptic. You can also make a decoction by boiling mulethi and then using it instead of oil," adds Dr. Gautam.

The first time I greased my mouth, it triggered a gag reflex but I have to admit that my teeth felt polished through the day. While sesame oil doesn't have much of a taste, mustard is quite pungent. These oils have mild abrasive powers and are healthier than others. You'll take some time to get used to the taste and texture of the oil so start with as long as you can keep it in your mouth.

The oil acts as natural mouthwash or disinfectant and helps in removing stains, smoothening and cleaning your teeth. It strengthens your gums and teeth and makes it easier to remove plaque. Plaque is made up of colonized bacteria that are surrounded by fatty membranes. They are fat-soluble and may loosen up while swishing around the oil. Dentists recommend the physical removal of plague by brushing. In Ayurvedic practice, when you chew on Datun it releases fibers from the bark that lift away the bacteria. Oil pulling may assist in removing plaque when combined with brushing or using Datun which accounts for whiter teeth.

According to a group of Irish scientists from the Athlone Institute of Technology, coconut oil was found to prevent Streptococcus mutans, an acid-producing bacteria found in the mouth and is majorly responsible for causing tooth decay. This can be attributed to the fact that coconut oil is a good source of Vitamin E which is a powerful antioxidant along with lauric acid and monolaurin that lend anti-bacterial properties.

But for all the hype, doctors are not entirely convinced about oil pulling as a treatment for dental diseases. "Oil pulling may help in reducing the symptoms of a dental disease but it cannot be effective in curing it. For instance, our grandmothers used a mix of mustard oil and salt to stop gum bleeding. In this light, oil pulling may reduce gum inflammation and control bleeding to some extent. Even in allopathic medicine, we use certain powders and pastes to treat the same. But it shouldn't be replaced with brushing and flossing," says Dr. Jatin Ahuja, Orthodontist at Max Medcentre in New Delhi.

Talking about granny's remedies, oil pulling has long been used to cure cold and sore throat. By dissolving all the toxins and bacteria, it helps in clearing blocked nasal passages and increases immunity. In his book "Oil Pulling Therapy: Detoxifying and Healing the Body through Oral Cleansing", Dr Bruce Fife suggests that this therapy can heal sinus problems by clearing the mucous from the throat. The drainage of mucous is one of the best ways to remove toxins from the body. In his view, "Our mouth is a reflection of our inner health and poor dental health has been linked to many chronic diseases."

Modern day followers of Ayurveda also claim that these gargles have many beauty benefits. They can strengthen jaws, reduce face flabbiness and improve skin. For instance,acne may be caused due to the imbalance in the gut bacteria and since your mouth is a gateway for all foreign to enter your body, oil rinsing attacks the bad bacteria before it reaches other parts. This unorthodox ritual may not be a remedy but it makes sense as a preventive measure.

Sometimes the first sign of a disease may show up in the mouth and in other cases infections in the mouth can affect different parts of the body. Dr. Fedor Karach from Ukraine has used oil pulling in his medical practice and presented a paper claiming that the simple treatment of oil pulling can resolve various illnesses like hormonal problems, heart-related diseases and digestive ailments His research brought back to light the folk remedy of oil pulling for wellness and vitality. However, scientific evidence limits the benefits of oil pulling in killing some forms of bacteria like those associated with bad breath and gingivitis.

Dental and skin problems are stubborn and there's a certain desperation that comes along with treating it. Who doesn't want the perfect skin and a bright smile? While we can all agree on swishing for oral health, you may often have to rely on your doctor's advice. But if this easy, all-natural alternative can come handy then what do you have to lose.

Eating Dark Chocolate Can Curb Diabetes, Heart Disease Risk

Eating Dark Chocolate Can Curb Diabetes, Heart Disease Risk

general Unknown   6:26 AM

Fancy eating chocolates every day? You may soon have the recommendation of doctors to indulge a little as researchers have found that a dark chocolate bar daily could reduces the risk of developing diabetes and heart diseases.

For the study, the researchers analysed data of 1,153 people aged 18-69 years old who were part of the Observation of Cardiovascular Risk in Luxembourg study. It was found that those who ate 100 g of chocolate a day -- equivalent to a bar -- had reduced insulin resistance and improved liver enzymes.

Insulin sensitivity is a well-established risk factor to cardiovascular disease. The findings were published in the British Journal of Nutrition. The analysis took into account lifestyle and dietary factors, including the simultaneous consumption of tea and coffee.

This is because both drinks can be high in polyphenol, the substance which may provide chocolate with its beneficial cardiometabolic effects.

"Given the growing body of evidence, including our own study, cocoa-based products may represent an additional dietary recommendation to improve cardio-metabolic health; however, observational results need to be supported by robust trial evidence," said Saverio Stranges, visiting academic at the University of Warwick Medical School in England.

"Potential applications of this knowledge include recommendations by healthcare professionals to encourage individuals to consume a wide range of phytochemical-rich foods, which can include dark chocolate in moderate amounts," Stranges said.

However, it is important to differentiate between the natural product cocoa and the processed product chocolate, which is an energy-dense food.

Therefore, physical activity, diet and other lifestyle factors must be carefully balanced to avoid detrimental weight gain over time, the researchers warned.

What These Ancient Statuettes of Obese People Say About Paleo Diets

What These Ancient Statuettes of Obese People Say About Paleo Diets

women general Unknown   6:24 AM

_{A 40,000-year-old figurine, carved from a mammoth tusk, recovered from a site in Germany. MUST CREDIT: Handout photo courtesy of the Museum of Prehistory in Blaubeuren)}

The fat billows and pools around the belly button. The flesh spills over the hip bones. The thighs are fused. Long celebrated as one of the oldest known works of art, the "Venus of Willendorf," provokes a sense of wonder: How did the Stone Age sculptor render obesity that was so life-like?

While other ancient artifacts are mere stick figures or stylized images, the Venus of Willendorf, believed to be more than 28,000 years old, gives people the sense that it was drawn from real life. So, too, do other figurines of obese women recovered from Paleolithic sites.

"She has a quite unformalized vitality," the archaeologist and historian Nancy Sandars wrote in her book, Prehistoric Art in Europe of the Venus of Willendorf. "She does not impress us as an abstraction, an idea, or ideal of the female and the fecund; rather one feels in spite of facelessness and gross exaggeration, that this is actual woman."

In an era when countless advocates of a "Paleo" diet argue that the Paleolithic way of life was optimized for human health, it's worth wondering what these figurines are telling us: Could some of the "cavemen" have been fat?

To be sure, no one knows why these images were carved. Were they related to fertility gods or beliefs, as some have suggested? A hope for plentiful food? Or are they, as some have proposed, a form of Paleo porn? The answers so far seem to be a matter of speculation. But whatever the purpose of the figurines, their anatomical correctness indicates that the sculptors must have seen fat people, some experts say, meaning that obesity was not unknown to the Paleolithic peoples, however harsh their lives may have been in general.

The Venus of Willendorf "tells us that obesity has been a human issue for a very long time," said George Bray, a professor emeritus at the Pennington Biomedical Research Center of Louisiana State University, an expert who has written on the topic.

"The figurines are certainly based on real life body morphology. They are anatomically accurate, and bear no resemblance to pregnant women," said David Haslam, a British physician and chair of the National Obesity Forum, a professional organization. He has written about the artifacts. "Similar figurines exist in Malta, Israel and all over Europe, proving that obesity existed in antiquity."

Other doctors have argued that it was highly unlikely that Paleolithic people could get fat - food was too scarce, life too demanding and besides, most did not live long enough to get the middle age spread. "Several lines of reasoning suggest that obesity must have been exceedingly rare, if it existed at all, during prehistoric times," Eric Colman, a doctor at the FDA, wrote.

But the prevalence of obesity is largely a matter of speculation and Colman allowed, that we "cannot discount the existence of a singular case of obesity" due to disease. Haslam, likewise, suggests that Paleo obesity was "rare," especially in contrast to the U.S. and United Kingdom today, where "it is present in epidemic proportions."

What does seem clear, however, is that Stone Age sculptors quite often turned to depicting overweight people. A 2011 paper by a Hungarian pathologist Laszlo Jozsa looked at 97 female idols from the Upper Paleolithic and found that 24 were skinny - and mainly young and 15 were normal weight. The majority - 51 - were overweight or very obese females, however.

"The Venus of Willendorf was not unique - they've been found from western Europe and into Russia - it was a far-reaching phenomenon," Bray said. "How prevalent obesity was - we have no idea. But it was there."