Mayo Clinic researchers and investigators from University of Iowa, University of Connecticut, and New York University (NYU), have discovered what they believe is the key to obesity. When special needs children have physical limitations, exercise may not be option. This key could lead to other treatments to keep obesity and other related disorders from occurring. The findings of this study can be read in the journal Cell Metabolism.
There is an energy-saving mechanism that is controlled by ATP-sensitive potassium (KATP) channels. Adenosine triphosphate (ATP), is used by cells in the body as energy. THE KATP channels sense where a body has stored ATP and channel the ATP to areas that need it. If this channel were modified, it is possible it can lead to less fat storage, consuming more storage than currently being used even on a high caloric diet because without the KATP channel, the body uses the energy less efficiently and must go to the stores of ATP.
Some children, because of neurological conditions, must be on a high fat content diet which leads to high calories and obesity, especially if that child is unable to exercise at a rate that burns the calories taken in. If researchers can develop a method of disabling the KATP channel, then these children will not have to suffer obesity because of their special needs.
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