Do u think it's possible for obesity to be caused by a virus?

I recently saw on the news something about a current medical study examining a virus that causes obesity. (Obesity is when a person is 50+ pounds over their recommended weight)

That got me to thinking... I've known so many ppl throughout my life that have struggled with weight problems. And a lot of them didn't eat anymore than I do.

Some say it is all about metabolism but I've seen ppl on the same schedules etc... same food habits... where one of them gains weight but the other one doesn't. So, the higher metabolism argument doesn't completely hold for that circumstance.

Just seems like this is a very likely possibility. If it turns out to be true, I sure hope they find a cure for it because an enormous amount of our youth currently has weight problems.

I absolutely think so! I have been a size 2 my entire life. I had a hysterectomy and went to a size 16 within 6 months. I figured it was because of the hormones and it would all go back to normal soon. It's been almost ten years and I am still a 16. I eat considerably less than anyone I know and exercise, yet I can't lose any weight. I have seen several doctors who treated me like a fat girl looking for an excuse to be fat. That really pissed me off because I was looking for a way to lose it without pills and I wanted to know if something was wrong. Then I started vomiting every time I ate (not on purpose). Every time. I went back to my doctor (who I have finally realized is an idiot) who said nothing was wrong...how does that make sense. Wow, I can make a short story long...lol! Several doctors later it turns out i have a disease in my blood that is turning food to waste or fat and using no one of it for energy. She has me on medication now. The lbs are coming off and my energy level is through the roof because my food is actually working for me rather than against me.

I am not suggesting that your friend has this as it is pretty rare. There are also thyroid disorders etc. Point is if diet and exercise aren't working your friend(s) should go see a doctor.

No, it isn't caused by a virus.

While the ability to lose weight may differ from person to person, STILL it's as simple as a math problem:

Calories In < Calories burned = Weight Loss
Possible, yes. Anything is. Likely, No!
Yeah, a virus that keeps you shoving high calorie food down your throat all day....

Please, people just need to show some restraint and try exercising.
It is highly possible. A recent Discovery Channel program i watched mentioned something about a virus that is found in chickens during a viral outbreak in India, 1987, having similarities in terms of being over-weight and having large eating patterns as obese people do. The chickens which were infected, surprisingly, were fat...no joke!!! They even comapred the infected specimens to those which were virus free. Its like seeing a basketball and a size 4 soccer ball side by side.

And when scientists did surveys and blood tests to over-weight people in the U.S. and the U.K , their blood shows similar traits to those of the infected chickens. I'm not a biologist or anything, but after watching that program, i believe it is true that obesity is caused by a virus.