Naturally thin: Dream come true or curse?; THE MAJORITY OF BRITISH

0 Comments | Sunday Mirror, Aug 22, 1999 | by Denna Allen

Professor Noel Dilly, of the Anatomy Depart-ment at George's Medical School in London, says: "There are many explanations for why some women are naturally very slender. People's metabolic rates are controlled by the thyroid gland and it is a classic symptom of skinny people to have an active thyroid and therefore high metabolism.

This means they burn up calories faster. It boils down simply to the fact that if your intake of calories matches your metabolic requirement you will stay the same weight, if it exceeds the rate, then you will put on weight. Often very slim people are energetic, fidgety or highly-strung and their metabolic rates have switched to a higher plane. Also a lot of skinny women have an aversion to salt, which means they don't have such a high fluid intake. If they try and overeat, they just feel bloated and very unhealthy. Their larger sisters can starve themselves, but it can't suppress their appetites or their tastes and after a diet many revert back to normal. I imagine the women who brand their skinny sisters anorexic are just plain jealous."