Genes can push you toward obesity, but there are things you can do to prevent
   The role of genes in obesity is one of science’s great puzzles, even
   rare instances, people genetically susceptible to obesity should not
   “I like to say that obesity is 80 percent genetic and 100 percent
   obesity research at the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive
   toward obesity, you can prevent it with healthy behaviors, including
   destiny,” Smith says. “They can predispose you to obesity, but only if
   Control and Prevention. Worldwide, obesity has more than doubled since
   World Health Organization. The worldwide obesity rate among adults is
   WHO. Obesity is related to heart disease, stroke, Type 2 diabetes and
   According to a CDC estimate, the medical cost of obesity in the United
   The quest to learn more about obesity genes began nearly 30 years ago
   obesity had a strong genetic component,” says Marc Reitman, senior
   investigator and chief of NIDDK’s diabetes, endocrinology and obesity
   environment,” Reitman says. “Obesity has been increasing since the
   increase the risk of obesity. A genome-wide association study scans
   obesity.
   obesity risk. These association studies suggest that obesity involves
   obesity-linked gene variants in 2007, related to what is known as the
   “fat mass and obesity-associated” (FTO) gene on chromosome 16. People
   “Because the genetic variants for obesity are numerous, it is virtually
   conducted a number of studies related to genes, obesity and diet.
   predisposed to obesity were more likely to experience increases in
   their BMI (body mass index, a measure of obesity) with a higher intake
   genetic predisposition to obesity were more likely to gain weight if
   gain per se, the results on obesity imply that the findings would apply
   genetic effects of obesity,” Hu says. “Our findings indicate that
   genetic risk of obesity can be mitigated by simply changing an eating
   percent higher risk of obesity than those who did not have it, the
   fact, active adults with the gene variant showed a risk of obesity
   one FTO gene variant, their likelihood of obesity is 10 percent,” Hu
   variant, their likelihood of obesity would be lower, at 7.3 percent.”
   obesity prevention, especially among those who are genetically
   predisposed to obesity,” Hu says.
   sentence to obesity if you have one or more of these variants,” Smith
   The only exceptions to what is called “common obesity” — where many
   genes are involved in raising the risk of obesity — occur in what is
   known as “monogenic” obesity. This is when a mutation in a single gene
   produces a very high risk of obesity, one that is difficult — sometimes
   that look at whether any variants protect against obesity.
   disease of obesity,” Smith says. “There are people out there who should
   who tend to have more adiponectin do not develop obesity.”
   the environment. Obesity clusters in families, but family members also
   he adds. “The wiring and physiology around obesity is complicated, and