Rob, Matt,

Metabolism is one fator, there are many more. Genetics could also
play a role in other things such as behavior or the person's ability
to taste or smell the food and the effect eating certain food has on
them.

I obviously feel that genetics plays a much more significant role than
you do. I can't deny that stomach stapling of fat people results in
much lower caloric intake and significant weight loss. At the same
time, I can't deny that doubling or tripling the caloric intake while
simultaneously reducing carbs to near zero will also result in rapid
weight loss in many people. The effectivness of a low carb / high
calorie diet is well known.

My nonscientific opinion about the low carb mechanism is that I
believe that carbs are a catalyst needed for digesting fat. In my own
experiments, a carb binge while on a low carb diet usually has
disasterous results. In my case, I can eat huge bowls of zero carb
ice cream covered in zero carb chocolate syrup and show a weight loss.
But if I throw a cracker in the works, all bets are off.

With that said, it is also possible that for genetic reasons, some fat
people may simply have more efficient digestive systems. Maybe their
livers secrete some enzyme that mine doesn't - I don't know. But even
if the genetic trait is simply the lack of willpower, then its still a
genetic trait. Obese tendencies run in families - that much is
obvious.

Dennis.

Rob McDonald wrote:

"In a study of 11 individuals who were highly resistant to weight loss

Prior to testing, these individuals believed their inability to lose weight
was due to a low resting metabolic rate and other metabolic factors. They
were distressed to learn tests showed their metabolisms to be normal.

Dennis Hawkins
n4mwd AT amsat DOT org (humans know what to do)

"A RECESSION is when you know somebody who is out of work.
A DEPRESSION is when YOU are out of work.
A RECOVERY is when all the H-1B's are out of work."

To find out what an H-1B is and how Congress is using
them to put Americans out of work, visit the following
web site and click on the "Exporting America" CNN news
video: http://zazona.com/ShameH1B/MediaClips.htm