Is Obesity Driven By Neurodivergence?
01/20/24 • 39 min
I believe the obesity epidemic signifies a sensitivity to the schedules imposed by our systems on everyone. Obesity, in my view, is a consequence of the struggle to conform to increasingly restrictive and demanding systems, coupled with a diminishing nutritional quality in our food supply. The choices we make regarding nutrition are driven by the need for increasing dopamine rewards, which, in the short term, help us adhere to our schedules.
Obesity rates are on the rise across all Western societies. While it was initially observed in the most sensitive individuals, it now appears that either sensitivity is increasing or our societal systems breaking down are pushing everyone into a situation where fitting into the schedules we first learn in school is no longer feasible. I am concerned that as our society approaches its end, we may find few individuals healthy enough to bring about the necessary changes for a successful transition.
The research landscape in this area is still evolving, and recent insights suggest that others are also discovering connections between neurodivergence and obesity. You can explore this in the following supporting papers.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9775563/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7551752/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6356459/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10519741/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7335278/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8775294/
https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fped.2020.535705/full
The ongoing journey to comprehend the intricate interplay between higher cognition, neurodivergence, and obesity has given rise to another theory.
One I am asking for your feedback on. Do you find this to be true for you? Please let me know at [email protected].
In neurotypicals the cognitively mind breaks before the body does. This is the purpose of boot camp. To break the mind and build it back as a no thinking enlisted body for war. (NT)
In neurodivergents the sensing body breaks before the mind does. This is what college is for. It breaks our body to make it a slave to the needs of the mind. (ND)
In the 2e, those of us with both high sensing and cognitive intelligence, there is a constant battle for resources between the two. For us the emotions and intellect must connect for us to be mentally and physically healthy.
For the 2e it is mental agony to have them separate and everything in our society insists they be separated. This only serves the powerful not the individual or the society. Separation manifests illness in both mind and body. But when your emotions and intellect connected your syndromes, your sensitivity and your highly aware neurodivergent brain functioning help you find your optimum functioning. (2e)
www.GiftedND.com copyright 2024
www.GiftedND.com
copyright 2025
I believe the obesity epidemic signifies a sensitivity to the schedules imposed by our systems on everyone. Obesity, in my view, is a consequence of the struggle to conform to increasingly restrictive and demanding systems, coupled with a diminishing nutritional quality in our food supply. The choices we make regarding nutrition are driven by the need for increasing dopamine rewards, which, in the short term, help us adhere to our schedules.
Obesity rates are on the rise across all Western societies. While it was initially observed in the most sensitive individuals, it now appears that either sensitivity is increasing or our societal systems breaking down are pushing everyone into a situation where fitting into the schedules we first learn in school is no longer feasible. I am concerned that as our society approaches its end, we may find few individuals healthy enough to bring about the necessary changes for a successful transition.
The research landscape in this area is still evolving, and recent insights suggest that others are also discovering connections between neurodivergence and obesity. You can explore this in the following supporting papers.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9775563/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7551752/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6356459/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10519741/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7335278/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8775294/
https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fped.2020.535705/full
The ongoing journey to comprehend the intricate interplay between higher cognition, neurodivergence, and obesity has given rise to another theory.
One I am asking for your feedback on. Do you find this to be true for you? Please let me know at [email protected].
In neurotypicals the cognitively mind breaks before the body does. This is the purpose of boot camp. To break the mind and build it back as a no thinking enlisted body for war. (NT)
In neurodivergents the sensing body breaks before the mind does. This is what college is for. It breaks our body to make it a slave to the needs of the mind. (ND)
In the 2e, those of us with both high sensing and cognitive intelligence, there is a constant battle for resources between the two. For us the emotions and intellect must connect for us to be mentally and physically healthy.
For the 2e it is mental agony to have them separate and everything in our society insists they be separated. This only serves the powerful not the individual or the society. Separation manifests illness in both mind and body. But when your emotions and intellect connected your syndromes, your sensitivity and your highly aware neurodivergent brain functioning help you find your optimum functioning. (2e)
www.GiftedND.com copyright 2024
www.GiftedND.com
copyright 2025
Previous Episode
Creative Intelligent Perspective Taking
In this episode, I delve into the concept of creative intelligence and its impact on our perspective-taking. Using tutoring as an illustrative example, I demonstrate how the variance in learning experiences often boils down to differing perspectives.
Our educational systems are designed to instruct as if everyone's IQ falls within the range of 80 to 120. Those outside this range, whether above or below, tend to face difficulties. Creative thinkers, in particular, often find themselves far beyond this standardized spectrum. The higher one's capacity for intuitive intelligence, the greater the struggle. The typical response to academic challenges is seeking a tutor. However, tutors frequently fail to address the underlying issue.
A long time ago I decided to stop enrolling my kids in tutoring, a choice that saved both time and money. The root of their struggles wasn't a lack of comprehension but rather an understanding surpassing the system's two-dimensional perspective. The challenge lay in deciphering the specific viewpoint desired by the teacher, test, or educational system. By analyzing test questions or sample papers, we identified the perspective sought by the instructor, and suddenly, the struggle ceased.
As I age, I have found decreasing value from our education systems. My knowledge has expanded to a point where there is no value in conventional education, even from the most prestigious institutions worldwide. The answers provided by artificial intelligence hold little significance for me. Instead, I've learned to use these generic perspectives as a starting point for effectively communicating my own viewpoint to others.
Individuals with diverse perspectives will contribute increasing significant value to our future. Recognizing and comprehending this dynamic is crucial for shifting our culture towards a healthier state. The sooner we grasp this concept, the quicker we can guide our society in a direction that embraces and capitalizes on the unique value offered by differing perspectives.
www.GiftedND.com
copyright 2025
Next Episode
The Gifted Trifecta of Conditions - EDS, MCAS and POTS Part 1 Part 2 has link in show notes.
In this podcast I speak with Irene Gottlieb about the Trifecta of syndromes that impacts many of the most sensitivity individuals. Irene is profoundly gifted, runs a school for the profoundly gifted and has three children who are profoundly gifted. She has a lot of day to day experience with individuals who possess the trifecta of: Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome (EDS), Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome (POTS) and Mast Cell Activation Syndrome (MCAS).
Irene has a lot of experience researching the Trifecta. First as the mother of three children who have have the trifecta and second as the founder of a school where it is quite common. I originally heard Irene talk on this subject over the summer of 2023. I went to the talk knowing my family had two of these syndromes and left knowing we actually had all three of these syndromes. There is very little information on these syndromes, particularly MCAS, and Irene is one of the most knowledgeable people I know on the subject. I asked her to join me on my podcast and she graciously gave me 7 hours of her time during which we recorded this multi-part podcast.
POTS Defined
https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/16560-postural-orthostatic-tachycardia-syndrome-pots
Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome Defined
https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/ehlers-danlos-syndrome/symptoms-causes/syc-20362125
Mast Cell Activation Syndrome Defined
https://www.aaaai.org/conditions-treatments/related-conditions/mcas
PART 2 CAN BE ACCESSED HERE.
https://giftednd.substack.com/p/part-2-discussion-on-pots-eds-mcas
www.GiftedND.com
copyright 2025
If you like this episode you’ll love
Episode Comments
Generate a badge
Get a badge for your website that links back to this episode
<a href="https://goodpods.com/podcasts/the-gifted-neurodivergent-podcast-385131/is-obesity-driven-by-neurodivergence-54833987"> <img src="https://storage.googleapis.com/goodpods-images-bucket/badges/generic-badge-1.svg" alt="listen to is obesity driven by neurodivergence? on goodpods" style="width: 225px" /> </a>
Copy