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Curious Cases

The Portly Problem

Curious Cases

BBC

Science

4.84.1K Ratings

🗓️ 5 October 2016

⏱️ 14 minutes

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

"Why do we have middle aged spread?" asks Bart Janssen from New Zealand.

From obese mice to big bottoms, the duo discovers what science can tell us about fat.

Why do we put on weight in middle age? And are some types of fat better than others?

Hannah meets Prof Steve Bloom at Imperial College, London to discuss apples and pears.

Adam talks to Dr Aaron Cypess from the National Institutes of Health in Maryland, who has created a 'fatlas' - an atlas that maps fat inside the body.

Please email your Curious Cases for the team to investigate to: curiouscases@bbc.co.uk

Presenters: Hannah Fry & Adam Rutherford Producer: Michelle Martin.

Transcript

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0:00.0

Welcome to the podcast version of the curious cases of Rutherford and Fry series three episode four.

0:05.9

The portly problem.

0:07.3

The case of the portly problem.

0:09.3

Today is an episode about being a little bit squidgy around the edges.

0:13.8

Yeah.

0:14.6

I think there's quite a lot of judgment coming in your voice.

0:17.3

No, there isn't. I actually, you know what?

0:19.7

Squidgy bums, especially like the fat rolls that you get on babies,

0:26.4

I think it's the best thing in the world.

0:27.8

Yes, but this is about middle-aged spread and I'm a 41 year old man, not a tiny baby.

0:33.0

But what we're investigating in this program is not baby fat, which is super cute.

0:38.3

It is. We're talking about the fat that you get when you hit middle-aged.

0:41.8

The middle-aged spread, if you will.

0:43.7

Yes, yes, you're not quite there, are you?

0:46.2

Although I do observe that your midriff is larger than that it normally is.

0:50.8

It's an unborn child.

0:52.3

And that one is...

0:54.4

I thought it was just that. That by your head for lunch.

0:57.2

Cool.

0:58.0

I mean, I think it is still 90% curry.

1:01.2

Perhaps we should get on with the show before this becomes an appropriate.

1:10.6

Put your crystal away, Rutherford. We've got a case to answer.

...

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