Do My Genes Make Me Fat?
By
Jane St. Clair
January 08, 2009
According to many studies done in the past year or so, if you inherit a certain set of genes, you are likely to be overweight. This is depressing news to people who struggle with their weight, even though the scientists did leave room for hope.
The largest of the studies involved 90,000 Europeans, analyzed by researchers from six universities and institutions. This study isolated six new genetic variants linked to weight gain. A second study with a sample of 500 Europeans found that whether your body responds to a low-fat diet depends on your genetics. Some in this study lost weight on the low-fat diet and decreased their blood pressure and "bad" cholesterol levels. Others experienced no change whatsoever.
Next, the University of Dundee in Scotland found a "fat gene" that makes people more likely to crave high-calorie foods. Yet another new gene, this time discovered by the University College London, may determine how fast you eat.
These studies indicate something many overweight people have suspected for a long time: The diet game is unfair because the genetic deck is stacked against certain people. However, the hopeful news is that scientists believe that a person's body mass and fat composition is probably only 50% genetically based. You may inherit a body with a certain weight range but whether you are at the high or low end of that range depends on how much you eat and exercise.
Most scientists who study obesity believe that the cause of the current worldwide epidemic is not genetically based. Typically, they write about a "perfect storm" of environmental causes that came together all at once: sedentary lifestyles, more available junk food and sodas, more eating out in restaurants that serve bigger portions, too many foods full of corn syrup, too many processed foods, and too much time spent in front of computer, television, and video gaming screens.
These environmental factors have a greater impact on people genetically wired to be overweight. In a different environment, they would likely remain slim. One example frequently cited is the Tohono O'Odham nation, a native American tribe based in the Southwest. The ones who live in the United States have high rates of obesity and diabetes - over 75% among those over 55 years old. However, those who live in Mexico and eat a traditional diet are only 9% overweight.
Just as the key to the obesity epidemic may be lifestyle factors, the key to staying slim may be simply changing some of them. The Wellspring summer weight loss camps have a high rate of success in helping overweight teens and children lose weight and sustain those weight losses. The reason is that a team of scientists designed this summer camp program with the concepts of "simple, scientific, and sustainable" in mind. For example, participants in Wellspring's teen weight loss camp become aware of how much they are walking every day by simply carrying pedometers with them. They do not eat special diet foods, but learn to choose low-fat ones available anywhere.
Wellspring summer weight loss camp counselors measure a child's progress in terms of physical fitness and lifestyle changes, not just pounds lost. They know that their campers return to their old obesity-friendly environments, so they involve family members to make sure the child's new lifestyle remains in place.
Wellspring's successful weight loss spa for adults stresses "mindful eating." Attendees learn to chew more slowly, and experience the taste and texture of what they are eating. Again, there is a basis in scientific research, which points out overweight people eat more because they both eat too fast and do not experience the same amount of pleasure from food compared to normal and underweight people.
Simple lifestyle changes such as carrying a pedometer and eating more slowly may be the keys to staying slim. A study from the University of Texas found that three habits - eating regular family meals, exercising regularly, and limiting time spent in front of screens - are major determinants of a child's weight.
Although scientists have found some genetic basis for obesity, they are also linking genetics to almost everything else. For example, a team of researchers from the University of California in San Diego found that identical twins show more similarities in voting behaviors than fraternal twins. Professors James Fowler and Christopher Dawes, co-authors of this study, proposed that genes might determine certain voting behaviors.
Yet common sense says it is a stretch to believe that your genes determine whether you decide to vote in elections. For the same reason, your genes do not necessarily determine how fat you are. They have a vote in it, but you decide who wins yourself.
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