Researchers uncover genetic link to obesity

[Guest guest]

Ok so it is another version of the same story, but it

seems like good news so I'm sending it again!

Researchers uncover genetic link to obesity

• Half of population carry a copy of 'problem' version

• Scientists insist diet and exercise still important

Randerson, Science correspondent

Thursday April 12, 2007

Guardian Unlimited

Scientists have discovered the first clear genetic

link to obesity that is carried by significant numbers

of people, according to a study yesterday. One copy of

the gene leads to a 1.2kg (2.6lb) weight increase

while those with two copies are on average 3kg

heavier. The scientists say it will open up new

avenues of research into who is susceptible to obesity

and how best to prevent the condition that is the

second largest cause of death in the UK.

The focus for treating obesity has been on changing

lifestyle through diet and exercise, but the research

shows genetic factors can make a big difference. " We

live in a blame culture in which when people gain

weight it is entirely their fault, " said Graham Hitman

at Queen 's school of medicine and dentistry,

London University, one of the authors of the study.

" Improving lifestyle is still the key to reducing the

obesity epidemic but some people will find it harder

because of their genes. "

The finding is significant because the changed version

of the gene is relatively common, at least in the

European populations studied so far. The researchers

report in the journal Science that around half of

people have one copy of the offending version while

16% have two copies. Those with two copies are 67%

more likely to be obese - defined as a body mass index

of 30 or more.

Adult obesity rates have nearly quadrupled in the UK

over the last 25 years, and two-thirds of adults are

overweight. Of these, nearly a quarter are obese. In

England, more than 30,000 deaths a year are caused by

obesity, the second-largest cause after

smoking-related illness.

The research team predicts that other genetic causes

will emerge. " This is still only one player out of

many, " said Mark McCarthy at the Wellcome Trust centre

for human genetics at Oxford University, who led the

study. " [Three kilogrammes is] a lot in some respects,

but that doesn't explain why some people are 50kg

heavier than others. "

The team was first alerted to the involvement of the

FTO gene in a study looking for genetic factors

involved in type 2 diabetes. " We were able to show

that it is associated with differences in weight and

that weight is due to differences in fat, " said

Professor McCarthy.

The team does not know what the gene does, but Prof

McCarthy said that was one thing that made the

discovery particularly exciting. " What we are really

looking for are novel clues to how weight is regulated

and how obesity comes about. If we understand how this

gene is translating into differences in weight and

differences in obesity then we might be able to use

that to understand, for example, why treatment A is

better in some people than treatment B. "

Although it might be tempting to add " it's my genes'

fault " to " I'm big boned " as the excuse for being

overweight, the discovery does not change advice to

patients. " Whether you have this risk factor or not,

if you are overweight you should eat less and exercise

more, " said Prof McCarthy.

" As a nation, we are eating more but doing less

exercise, and so the average weight is increasing, but

within the population some people seem to put on more

weight than others, " said co-author Hattersley

from the Peninsula Medical School in Exeter. " Our

findings suggest a possible answer to someone who

might ask, 'I eat the same and do as much exercise as

my friend next door, so why am I fatter?' "

According to figures from the National Audit Office,

being obese can take up to nine years off a person's

lifespan. It makes them more likely to develop a range

of health-related problems such as type 2 diabetes,

heart disease, stroke, osteoarthritis, high blood

pressure, gallstones, infertility and depression.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/science/story/0,,2055857,00.html

________________________________________________________________________________\

____

Never miss an email again!

Yahoo! Toolbar alerts you the instant new Mail arrives.

http://tools.search.yahoo.com/toolbar/features/mail/

[Guest guest]

I'm not sure how new this is because I've heard it before, but I'm glad that it is getting renewed attention. I believe that there is a genetic pre-disposition to obesity, but I also believe that there's a genetic pre-disposition to compulsive overeating as well. We know that there is an addiction gene, but mainstream science does not pay much attention to our society's addiction to sugar and white flour. They have a long way to go before they can figure out what the factors are, let alone fix them. In the meantime, eating less and exercising more is all we can really do. I'd be content if the skinny women of the world didn't look at me and assume that I sit on my butt eating bon-bons all day and treat me accordingly. That bugs me more than the weight ever has. Thanks for the update... Judy