Oregon Monkeys Helping to Solve the American Obesity Epidemic

The New York Times, over the weekend, published a story that profiles work being done right here in the Portland area to help end obesity in America. The Oregon National Primate Research Center has long been a leader in research surrounding fertility, brain function, and virus treatment. Now, the Hillsboro facility is one of the leading organizations studying couch potatoes.

From nytimes.com:

The primate center here, which is part of Oregon Health and Science University, has more than 4,000 monkeys, mostly rhesus macaques. About 150 of them are the rotund rhesuses. Some receive daily insulin shots to treat diabetes, and some have clogged arteries. One monkey died of a heart attack a few years ago at a fairly young age.

Shiva, a young adult, gained about 15 pounds in six months and weighs about 45 pounds, twice the normal weight for his age. Like other monkeys with a weight problem, he carries much of the excess in his belly, not his arms and legs.

The monkey’s daily diet consists of dried chow pellets, with about one-third of the calories coming from fat, similar to a typical American diet, Dr. Grove said, though the diet also contains adequate protein and nutrients.

The full story is available from the NY Times by clicking here. Of course, it hasn’t all been good news for the Oregon National Primate Research Center. Click here to see what PETA claimed in a 2007 investigation. The Federal government later cleared ONPRC of any wrong doing.