Could the Study of Grizzly Bears Help Tackle Questions about Obesity?

Scientists at the U.S. drug maker Amgen Inc. are currently experimenting with a rather unorthodox study. They're exploring how an animal with one of nature's biggest appetites-the grizzly bear-might help identify new insights into the obesity epidemic.  

According to the study, lead researcher Dr. Kevin Corbit of Washington State University allegedly got the idea after watching Yogi Bear stealing picnic baskets and gorging on food. 

"When I thought about obesity, I thought about Yogi bear," Dr. Corbit said, via Fox News. Corbit wondered how Yogi gorging on food before hibernating could leave him without excess weight. 

According to researchers from the Washington State University Bear Center, they conducted a two-year study that examined blood samples, fat biopsies and heart rhythms from the animals.

Dr. Corbit and colleagues found that the grizzly bear's showed a spike in cholesterol and blood pressure after they took in 100 lbs of fruit, nuts and salmon. However, they were miraculously able to remain healthy. During hibernation, not only are these animals able to rapidly lose this weight, but they are also unaffected by the health conditions affected by most obese humans, including stroke, heart attack and diabetes.

Findings showed that each bear was bear to adjust their hormone insulin levels in order to control the amount of fat and sugars that are broken down and stored during hibernation periods. These animals may experience high insulin sensitivity when preparing for hibernation. However, weeks into hibernating periods, this sensitivity shuts off. Researchers believe that sequencing the bear's genome could hold information for the animal and understanding the obesity epidemic.

The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that close to 2.8 million adults die each year as a result of an obesity-related condition, making it the fifth leading cause of death in the world. Health science continues to play an important role in looking towards ways to address and execute possible solutions-and grizzly bears may hold insight into potential findings.